Patients on the combination therapy experienced an additional 13 mg/dL decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, achieving an 85% success rate in reaching the target LDL-C level of under 70 mg/dL.

Statins have a long history of safe use, while ezetimibe works by limiting cholesterol absorption from food, making their combination a powerful strategy against high cholesterol.

Traditionally, doctors have delayed the addition of ezetimibe until after monitoring the effects of statins for two months; however, this study advocates for initiating both treatments simultaneously in high-risk patients.

A recent study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings reveals that combining statins with ezetimibe could significantly lower the risk of deaths from heart attacks and strokes.

The research analyzed data from over 100,000 patients across 14 studies, specifically targeting individuals at very high risk for cardiovascular events.

The network meta-analysis demonstrated a remarkable 49% reduction in all-cause mortality and a 39% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events when using this combination therapy.

Lead author Maciej Banach advocates for the inclusion of this combination therapy in treatment guidelines for patients with high cholesterol.

Co-author Professor Peter Toth emphasizes that this combined approach should become the gold standard for treating very high-risk patients immediately following an acute cardiovascular event.

Professor Toth notes that this new approach could improve cardiovascular health without requiring additional funding for new drugs, potentially reducing costs associated with heart attacks and strokes.

The findings underscore the importance of early and aggressive treatment strategies in high-risk cardiovascular patients to prevent complications and reduce mortality rates.

Implementing this combination therapy could also lead to significant healthcare cost savings by preventing severe complications from untreated cardiovascular disease.

The study highlights the safety and efficacy of the combination therapy, showing a 44% reduction in the risk of therapy discontinuation compared to high-dose statin therapy alone.