For people with clogged arteries who are already taking cholesterol drugs, adding a medicine called evolocumab can help lower their chance of having a stroke.

For people with heart disease who are already taking cholesterol-lowering drugs but still have high bad cholesterol, adding a drug called evolocumab can cut their risk of heart attack, stroke, or dying from heart problems by 20% over about two years.

For people with heart disease who are on cholesterol-lowering drugs, adding a drug called evolocumab doesn’t raise their risk of serious side effects like diabetes or memory problems — the only real downside is a slightly higher chance of soreness at the injection site.

For people with clogged arteries who are already on cholesterol drugs, adding a medicine called evolocumab helps lower their risk of heart problems — and it works pretty well even for those who've had a stroke before, though the benefit might be a bit smaller for them.

For people with hardened arteries who are on cholesterol-lowering drugs, adding a drug called evolocumab doesn’t seem to raise their risk of bleeding in the brain.

These cholesterol drugs can cut bad cholesterol by half and help prevent heart attacks in people with heart disease, and they’re about as safe as a dummy shot—though some might get a little redness where they’re injected.