Researchers have discovered that combining statins with ezetimibe could save thousands of lives by lowering levels of “bad” cholesterol in patients with blocked arteries. The largest analysis to date shows that this combination therapy should be the standard treatment for patients who have already had a heart attack and are at high risk of another cardiovascular event.
The study, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, involved 108,353 patients from 14 previous studies and found that ezetimibe combined with a statin reduced the risk of death by 19% compared to statins alone. The combination therapy also significantly reduced cardiovascular events and deaths from all causes.
Experts say that this approach is safe and effective, and could prevent thousands of deaths every year. They estimate that if combination therapy was included in treatment guidelines for high-risk patients, it would prevent over 330,000 deaths a year worldwide.
Statins have been used safely for years to lower LDL-C “bad” cholesterol, while ezetimibe reduces the amount of cholesterol taken from food by inhibiting absorption in the intestines. The study’s authors recommend that combination therapy be considered the gold standard treatment for high-risk patients and included in all future guidelines.
Source: https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/health/people-taking-statins-cholesterol-should-31400300