Effects of Drugs on Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and Lipoprotein (a) Level
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2022) | Viewed by 56974
Special Issue Editor
Interests: medications modulating lipid metabolism; hyperlipoproteinemias; dyslipidemias; rare disorders of lipid metabolism; familial hypercholesterolemia; familial chylomicronemia
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) remain the number one cause of death in the industrialized world. The main culprit for their development is low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) which accumulates in the arterial wall and initiates the chronic inflammatory process of atherosclerosis with plaque development and progression. A plethora of evidence has established that LDL-C is causal for the development of ASCVD, such as data from monogenic disorders; Mendelian randomization; and genome-wide association studies (GWAS); and observational, epidemiological, clinical, and interventional trials. The degree and duration of exposure to LDL-C determine atherosclerotic risk, thus early and aggressive LDL-C lowering is associated with greater protection from ASCVD.
LPL-C is the most studied lipoprotein and represents the major treatment target in clinical practice. LDL-C lowering decreases cardiovascular events as studies with statins and non-statin therapies [ezetimibe,
proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) antibodies] have shown. New promising treatments include the ATP citrate lyase inhibitor bempedoic acid, the small interfering (siRNA) targeting PCSK9 inclisiran, and the monoclonal antibody against angiopoetin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) evinacumab.
Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a special form of LDL with an apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] bound covalently to the apolipoprotein B of the LDL particle. Lp(a) can also become trapped in the artery wall and thus initiate the atherosclerotic process. Multiple evidence from observational epidemiologic studies, Mendelian randomization studies, as well as GWAS have established the causality of increased Lp(a) levels and ASCVD. Although, currently, there are no pharmacologic treatments to decrease Lp(a) there are promising substances in various phases of development such as the antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting apo(a) pelacarsen, and two siRNAs targeting APOA, olpasiran and SLN360 which have been shown to decrease Lp(a) up to 98%. Cardiovascular outcome trials are needed to establish the clinical relevance of both the new LDL-C- and Lp(a)-lowering therapies.
This Special Issue has the aim to summarize the state-of-the-art, and the latest developments regarding LDL-C and Lp(a) lowering pharmacotherapies.
Prof. Dr. Ioanna Gouni-Berthold
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- LDL-C
- Lipoprotein(a)
- statins
- fibrates
- ezetimibe
- PCSK9 antibodies
- inclisiran
- evinacumab
- bempedocic acid
- lomitapide, pelacarsen
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