A recent study has shown that a combination of two cholesterol-lowering drugs can significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular diseases, potentially saving thousands of lives each year. The study, published in the journal Mayo Clinic minutes, analyzed data from over 108,000 high-risk patients and found that using statins in combination with ezetimibe was more effective in lowering “bad” cholesterol levels and reducing mortality compared to statins alone.
Statins are commonly used to lower cholesterol by reducing production in the liver, while ezetimibe limits absorption in the intestine and is often prescribed when statins are insufficient. Patients who received both drugs had a lower overall risk of death, cardiovascular-related deaths, and major cardiovascular events compared to those on statins alone.
According to lead author Professor Maciej Banach, the combination therapy could prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths each year and significantly reduce LDL-C levels. The study suggests starting both medications immediately in high-risk patients to achieve optimal results.
Research co-author Professor Peter Toss believes that this approach should become the standard of care for high-risk patients after a cardiovascular event, potentially saving costs in the healthcare system in the long term.
With both medications widely available, the researchers hope that these findings will lead to changes in treatment guidelines to prioritize early and aggressive cholesterol-lowering therapy for at-risk patients. The key message is clear: don’t wait, start treatment early to prevent further complications and improve outcomes.
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com