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The Potential Role of PCSK9 Inhibitors for Patients With Hyperlipidemia
John A. Johnson, MD, MBA: The PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) inhibitors are fairly new medications that have become available, and, again, as we’ve mentioned earlier, the statins are also available.
We’ve seen that even with maximum statin therapy with drugs such as Crestor or Lipitor (at the maximum dose), it’s still a challenge for some clinicians to get their hyperlipidemic patients to an LDL (low-density lipoprotein) below goal. Again, the goal depends on the risks the patient has. But, in general, an LDL below 100 would be acceptable for a diabetic or below 70 for a diabetic with heart disease.
So, it’s oftentimes difficult to push the statin to a high enough dose without causing some of the safety or tolerability concerns [for] the patient. You may have to move toward a combination therapy, and newer agents are becoming available. At the health plan [level], we make those medications available when we’ve seen documentation that other medications are less effective.
Blister Packs May Help Solve Medication Adherence Challenges and Lower Health Care Costs
June 10th 2025Julia Lucaci, PharmD, MS, of Becton, Dickinson and Company, discusses the benefits of blister packaging for chronic medications, advocating for payer incentives to boost medication adherence and improve health outcomes.
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Hematology in Space: Understanding How Blood Behaves Differently in Orbit
June 14th 2025Our knowledge of the effects of space and low gravity on blood cells, clotting, and anemia continues to expand, but further research is needed as commercial spaceflights are poised to grow in popularity.
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COVID-19 Deaths Cloud Interpretation of Acalabrutinib-Venetoclax Combo Results
June 13th 2025A combination of acalabrutinib and venetoclax showed better results with the addition of obinutuzumab, whereas mixed findings in a cross-trial comparison were complicated by the inclusion of deaths related to COVID-19.
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