npj Aging and Mechanisms of Disease (Jun 2018)

The annual rate of coronary artery calcification with combination therapy with a PCSK9 inhibitor and a statin is lower than that with statin monotherapy

  • Yuichi Ikegami,
  • Ikuo Inoue,
  • Kaiji Inoue,
  • Yuichi Shinoda,
  • Shinichiro Iida,
  • Seiichi Goto,
  • Takanari Nakano,
  • Akira Shimada,
  • Mistuhiko Noda

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41514-018-0026-2
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Coronary artery calcification: entry to new frontier of PCSK9 inhibitors Today, rapid aging in society is making progress in developed countries. One of the most serious health problems in an aging society is atherosclerosis, of which final phase is coronary artery calcification (CAC). CAC could increase the risk of complications during coronary catheterization and coronary artery bypass surgery as well as ischemic heart disease (IHD). We, members in the aging society, would see much more patients with CAC in the near future. We, however, have no medications for CAC today. Moreover, statins that are used in the world have been known for CAC formation after long-term use. The team led by Yuichi Ikegami and Ikuo Inoue in Japan’s Saitama Medical University found that CAC in patients with atherosclerosis is improved by PCSK9 inhibitors compared to statins by using coronary computed tomographic angiography. This study shows us a hint that could lead us to new preventive therapies of IHD.