text_1: Shot Might One Day Help Lower Cholesterol
text_2: We liked that this story was cautious about predicting whether or how an experimental new cholesterol-lowering drug called AMG 145 might be useful for preventing heart disease. But there were a few missed opportunities to provide additional context, particularly regarding the cost of the new drug (which will likely be very high) should it ever make it to market and the fact that the outcome measured in this study (LDL cholesterol) is only a marker of heart disease risk that may not reflect a reduction in actual heart attacks. As this story points out, there are many factors which can make it difficult for patients to take cholesterol-lowering statin medication. Some patients are troubled by statin-related muscle pain, while others simply aren’t disciplined enough to take their daily dose of medicine as directed. Other patients may never achieve their target for LDL cholesterol reduction despite taking the highest available statin dose. An alternative drug that lowers cholesterol with less frequent dosing and with the potential for less risk of muscle pain might be useful for these patients.