Author Interviews, Genetic Research, Heart Disease, JAMA, Lipids / 25.04.2019
Genetic Studies Can Help Determine How Low LDL Should Go With Treatment
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Florian Kronenberg, MD
Division of Genetic Epidemiology
Department of Medical Genetics, Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology
Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Lp(a) is one of the most prevalent lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Roughly 20% of the general Caucasian population have concentrations above 50 mg/dL and the 10% with the highest concentrations have a 2 to 3-fold increased risk for myocardial infarction.
There is strong evidence from genetic studies that high Lp(a) concentrations are causally related to cardiovascular outcomes. Until recently there was no drug available which lowers Lp(a) without any effects on other lipoproteins. This has recently changed by the development of drugs that block the production of Lp(a) in an impressive way. These drugs have to be studied in randomized controlled trials whether they not only lower Lp(a) concentrations but also cardiovascular outcomes. For the planning of such studies it is crucial to estimate the amount of Lp(a) lowering required to show a clinical benefit.
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