Reduction of low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and cardiovascular events with proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors and statins: an analysis of FOURIER, SPIRE, and the Cholesterol Treatment Trialists Collaboration

Treatment with proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by approximately 45–60%, whether used alone or in combination with a statin.1,2 Two large cardiovascular outcomes trials have now reported that lowering LDL-C with a PCSK9 inhibitor when added to treatment with a statin reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events.3,4 We sought to compare the efficacy of PCSK9 inhibitors and statins for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events by comparing the results of the FOURIER and SPIRE trials with the results of the Cholesterol Treatment Trialists (CTT) meta-analysis of statin trials.5,6