During a satellite symposium at the ESC 2016 in Rome, organised by PACE-CME, the potential roles of targeting inflammation, LDL-c and dyslipidemia in reducing residual risk were discussed

Dr Stroes elaborated on achieving additional LDL-c reduction beyond statins, focussing on PCSK9 inhibitors. He underscored the significance of LDL-c-lowering, as illustrated by the beneficial relation between genetically and therapeutically lower LDL-c and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk and between statin-achieved LDL-c levels and cardiovascular CV risk.

ACS patients who are not at LDL-c treatment goal despite statin therapy, currently have two options; increasing statin dose or receiving combination therapy. More cholesterol-lowering drugs are available beyond statins, including ezetimibe, which can be used in combinational setting to further reduce residual CV risk.

After treatment with high-intensity statins, patients can still have residual cholesterol risk or residual inflammatory risk. This means that patients still have either high levels of LDL-c, but normal high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) or normal LDL-c but high hsCRP