Analysis Version
v1
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quantitative
Analysis v1
Strong Support

Adding PCSK9 drugs to cholesterol-lowering statins can slash bad cholesterol by as much as 81% in people with high cholesterol.

68
Pro
33
Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (2)

68

Community contributions welcome

63

Effects of AMG 145 on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels: results from 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, ascending-dose phase 1 studies in healthy volunteers and hypercholesterolemic subjects on statins.

Randomized Controlled Trial
Human
2012 Nov 6

The study tested a PCSK9 inhibitor drug (AMG 145) in people already taking statins, and found it lowered bad cholesterol by up to 81%, just like the claim says.

20

Ldl-cholesterol reduction with PCSK9 inhibitors: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis
Human

The study looks at the same cholesterol drugs mentioned in the claim and finds they do lower bad cholesterol a lot, especially when used with statins.

Contradicting (1)

33

Community contributions welcome

33

The Effect of PCSK9 Inhibitors on LDL-C Target Achievement in Patients with Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Cohort Study
Human
2024 Feb

The study looked at a very sick group of high-cholesterol patients who don’t respond well to PCSK9 drugs. It found these drugs barely lowered their cholesterol, which contradicts the claim that they can reduce it by up to 81%.

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Similar Assertions

PCSK9 inhibitors can help lower bad cholesterol, either when added to other treatments or used instead of them.

20
0
88%

These cholesterol drugs work well for lots of different people, even if they're already taking other meds for high cholesterol.

20
0
86%

For people with a rare cholesterol condition called HoFH who are already on cholesterol meds, adding a newer drug (PCSK9 inhibitor) barely lowers bad cholesterol for most — and 7 out of 10 don’t get enough benefit to keep taking it.

33
0
86%

Some cholesterol drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors also lower another harmful fat in the blood called lipoprotein(a), and that might help protect the heart in ways that aren't just about lowering bad cholesterol.

1
0
85%

People born with a certain gene that lowers their bad cholesterol their whole life have a lower risk of heart disease than what we'd expect from cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins — meaning starting early and keeping cholesterol low for longer might protect the heart better.

59
0
83%

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