Role of pcsk9 inhibitors in high risk patients with dyslipidemia: Focus on familial hypercholesterolemia

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited autosomal dominant disorder that is characterized by substantially increased Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Patients with FH have a significantly higher risk for Cardiovascular (CV) events, and the timely reduction of LDL-C is of paramount importance to ameliorate the risk for CV disease. Among the available lipid-lowering therapies, the novel Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors have emerged as a very promising class of drugs for the management of such patients. Objective: The purpose of this review is to present available data on the efficacy and safety of the two available PCSK9 inhibitors in patients with FH, and importantly to discuss potential differences between the two drugs. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify available data from clinical studies evaluating the impact of evolocumab or alirocumab on lipid and CV parameters in patients with FH. Results: Several studies have assessed the lipid-lowering profile of PCSK9 inhibitors in patients with FH. Both evolocumab and alirocumab were found to significantly reduce LDL-C by more than 50-60% in FH patients. Furthermore, data also support a lower rate of lipid apheresis in FH patients receiving a PCSK9 inhibitor. In terms of CV outcomes, both drugs were found to possess CV-ameliorating effects of the same extent in patients with CV disease. However, alirocumab reduced all-cause mortality, as well, a finding not observed with evolocumab. Several differences in the study population characteristics might explain this and other mild differences observed in the CV trials of these drugs. Conclusion: Available evidence suggests similar potency of alirocumab and evolocumab in reducing lipids and CV events. © 2018, Bentham Science Publishers B.V. All rights reserved

Reperfusion therapies and in-hospital outcomes for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Europe: The ACVC-EAPCI EORP STEMI Registry of the European Society of Cardiology

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the contemporary use of reperfusion therapy in the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) member and affiliated countries and adherence to ESC clinical practice guidelines in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods and results: Prospective cohort (EURObservational Research Programme STEMI Registry) of hospitalized STEMI patients with symptom onset <24 h in 196 centres across 29 countries. A total of 11 462 patients were enrolled, for whom primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (total cohort frequency: 72.2%, country frequency range 0-100%), fibrinolysis (18.8%; 0-100%), and no reperfusion therapy (9.0%; 0-75%) were performed. Corresponding in-hospital mortality rates from any cause were 3.1%, 4.4%, and 14.1% and overall mortality was 4.4% (country range 2.5-5.9%). Achievement of quality indicators for reperfusion was reported for 92.7% (region range 84.8-97.5%) for the performance of reperfusion therapy of all patients with STEMI <12 h and 54.4% (region range 37.1-70.1%) for timely reperfusion. Conclusions: The use of reperfusion therapy for STEMI in the ESC member and affiliated countries was high. Primary PCI was the most frequently used treatment and associated total in-hospital mortality was below 5%. However, there was geographic variation in the use of primary PCI, which was associated with differences in in-hospital mortality

The ESC ACCA EAPCI EORP acute coronary syndrome ST-elevation myocardial infarction registry

Aims: The Acute Cardiac Care Association (ACCA)-European Association of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (EAPCI) Registry on ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) of the EurObservational programme (EORP) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) registry aimed to determine the current state of the use of reperfusion therapy in ESC member and ESC affiliated countries and the adherence to ESC STEMI guidelines in patients with STEMI. Methods and results: Between 1 January 2015 and 31 March 2018, a total of 11 462 patients admitted with an initial diagnosis of STEMI according to the 2012 ESC STEMI guidelines were enrolled. Individual patient data were collected across 196 centres and 29 countries. Among the centres, there were 136 percutaneous coronary intervention centres and 91 with cardiac surgery on-site. The majority of centres (129/196) were part of a STEMI network. The main objective of this study was to describe the demographic, clinical, and angiographic characteristics of patients with STEMI. Other objectives include to assess management patterns and in particular the current use of reperfusion therapies and to evaluate how recommendations of most recent STEMI European guidelines regarding reperfusion therapies and adjunctive pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments are adopted in clinical practice and how their application can impact on patients' outcomes. Patients will be followed for 1 year after admission. Conclusion: The ESC ACCA-EAPCI EORP ACS STEMI registry is an international registry of care and outcomes of patients hospitalized with STEMI. It will provide insights into the contemporary patient profile, management patterns, and 1-year outcome of patients with STEMI