PCSK9 drugs don't just lower cholesterol—they can actually help shrink dangerous plaque buildup in heart arteries over time.
Evidence from Studies
No evidence studies found yet.
What Would Prove This
Per GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this claim, ordered from strongest to weakest.
Provide pooled estimates of plaque volume change across all imaging trials.
A systematic review of all randomized trials using IVUS, OCT, or CCTA to measure coronary plaque change with PCSK9 inhibitors vs control, including ≥5,000 patients, reporting mean change in PAV and TAV, with meta-regression by LDL-C reduction.
Causally link PCSK9 inhibition to plaque regression.
A double-blind RCT of 1,200 patients with coronary artery disease on statins, randomized to evolocumab 420 mg monthly vs placebo, with IVUS assessment of PAV at baseline and 84 weeks, blinded core lab analysis, powered to detect 0.5% difference in PAV change.
Assess long-term plaque progression in real-world settings.
A prospective cohort of 3,000 patients undergoing serial coronary CTA over 3 years, comparing those initiating PCSK9 inhibitors vs continuing standard therapy, with automated plaque quantification.