ArcaMax

Almost 47 million Americans take a statin daily -- and they can provide huge benefits. Statins not only lower lousy LDL cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke, but they also reduce high blood pressure, improve erectile dysfunction, and may even help prevent osteoporosis, dementia and cancer.

But for some folks, a statin doesn't bring their lousy LDL cholesterol level down in a meaningful way or they experience side effects like muscle weakness and pain.

Well, now there's a possible solution: adding an antibody (a PCSK9 inhibitor) or using it in place of a statin. Taking an antibody called alirocumab with a statin has been found to reduce plaque in the arteries twice as much as the statin alone. And when folks had what are called high-risk lesions (meaning plaque that could easily rupture and cause a heart attack or stroke) the lesions became medium or low risk! Other studies of taking a PCSK9 inhibitor by itself indicate it can decrease LDL cholesterol by up to 70% and slash the risk of a heart attack by almost a third.

This therapy is much more expensive than a statin, but many insurance companies cover much of the cost for folks who are statin intolerant or who don't see LDL levels decrease sufficiently, even if they combine their statin with Zetia (another possible solution), which blocks cholesterol absorption in the intestines. So, talk to your doc about the appropriate therapy for you. And to prevent heart disease, check out our book "YOU: The Owner's Manual, revised."

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

(c)2025 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.