Opinion
Video
Looking Into the Future of Lipid Management
Author(s):
Dr Taub, Dr Patel, and Dr Kohli look ahead to the future of the management of cardiovascular risk and hyperlipidemia
Summary
The experts envision increased use of targeted therapies like siRNA that allow less frequent dosing for hypercholesterolemia and other conditions. Exciting data on “one-and-done” gene editing may enable permanent PCSK9 inhibition in familial hypercholesterolemia. Such innovations promise elegant, well-tolerated long-term solutions.
However, while much progress is being made in developing novel therapies for cardiovascular prevention (“first mile” investigations), major global burden exists in implementation and uptake (“last mile”). Even long available treatments take about a decade to achieve 50-70% adoption. Thus, reducing health inequities and accelerating real-world access remains key.
Beyond scientific advances, addressing rising obesity rates holds great potential to impact cholesterol management and overall risk. With obesity now recognized as a disease, more aggressive multifactorial treatment may emerge, benefiting lipids as well. Lipoprotein(a) is also garnering increasing interest as a causal risk factor amendable to new targeted therapies that may soon demonstrate cardiovascular improvements.
In summary, the experts express excitement about the future scientific pipeline while emphasizing the immense implementation challenges ahead in equitable delivery of cardiovascular prevention. Realizing the full potential of powerful emerging therapies will require overcoming barriers in dissemination and uptake among diverse populations. Continued innovation in treatment must therefore be matched by innovation in health systems’ ability to connect the right interventions with the right patients.
This summary was AI-generated and edited for clarity and readability.
