Bempedoic Acid: Uses, indications and cautions when using

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Bempedoic Acid is a cholesterol-lowering drug that has been indicated as an adjunct to diet and maximal dose statin therapy. Bempedoic acid is indicated for the treatment of patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and requiring further reduction of LDL-C levels. However, this is only an adjunct to statin therapy because the benefit of bempedoic acid on cardiovascular disease and mortality has not been established.

1. What is Bempedoic Acid and how does it work?

Bempedoic Acid is a medicine that lowers bad cholesterol, also known as "LDL-cholesterol", a type of fat in the blood. The mechanism of action of bempedoic acid is to decrease cholesterol production in the liver and increase the removal of LDL-cholesterol from the blood by blocking an enzyme (ATP citrate lyase) that is needed for cholesterol production.
Therefore, the intended use of Bempedoic Acid is for adult patients with primary hypercholesterolemia or mixed dyslipidemia, a condition that causes high levels of cholesterol in the blood. It is an adjunct to dietary cholesterol in addition to a statin (such as simvastatin, a drug commonly used to treat cholesterol) but has not sufficiently lowered LDL-cholesterol, or can be used as monotherapy or with with other cholesterol-lowering drugs when statins are intolerant or cannot be used.

2. Things to note before taking Bempedoic Acid

Do not take Bempedoic Acid if any of the following are present:
Are allergic to bempedoic acid or any other ingredient of the drug Are pregnant Are breast-feeding Children and adolescents under the age of 18 If taking more than 40 mg per day of simvastatin or other drugs used to lower cholesterol at comparable doses. Before taking Bempedoic Acid, tell your doctor or pharmacist the following:
Have a history of gout Have serious kidney or liver problems. Accordingly, the doctor will need to perform blood tests to evaluate liver and kidney function before prescribing Bempedoic Acid.

3. How is Bempedoic Acid used?

Always take Bempedoic Acid exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has prescribed, and check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure or unsure.
The recommended dose is one tablet once daily. Swallow the tablet whole with food or between meals. If you accidentally take more Bempedoic Acid than prescribed, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
If you forget to take Bempedoic Acid, take the missed dose immediately and take the next dose at the usual time of the day. Do not stop taking Bempedoic Acid without your doctor's permission, as the effective lowering of bad cholesterol can suddenly become out of control and cause dangerous cardiovascular events.

4. Possible side effects when using Bempedoic Acid

Like all medications, Bempedoic Acid can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Side effects may occur with the following frequencies:
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Anemia Increased uric acid levels in the blood, causing gout Pain or aches in the joints muscle in the shoulder, leg, or arm Blood test results show liver abnormalities Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Increased blood creatinine and urea nitrogen (in-room kidney function test) Experimental) Reduced glomerular filtration rate (a measure of how well the kidneys work) In summary, high levels of LDL-C or “bad cholesterol” are a major risk factor for cardiovascular events. For patients inadequately managed with maximally tolerated statin monotherapy, bempedoic acid may become an effective adjunct to hypercholesterolemia. However, in order to control cholesterol levels with drugs, patients also need to be guided on non-drug measures such as diet and increased physical activity for comprehensive cardiovascular protection.
Ideally, when intending to use Bempedoic Acid, the patient should be examined by a specialist and take the drug as prescribed to bring the best effect to health.
Cardiology - Vinmec International General Hospital is the address to examine, receive and treat all cases of cardiovascular health problems. In addition to checking health and advising patients on appropriate medication, diet, and rest, doctors and experts also give advice on appropriate treatment methods for each condition. pathological. The aim is to help patients stabilize their health early and save treatment costs.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

References: go.drugbank.com - webmd.com - medicines.org.uk