What is Bempedoic acid?
Bempedoic acid is an oral, once-daily cholesterol-lowering agent that belongs to the class of drugs known as apolipoprotein A-I modulators. It works by inhibiting adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase (ATP-citrate lyase), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of cholesterol in the liver. Bempedoic acid is used to lower levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and apolipoprotein B in patients with hypercholesterolemia who are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, often in combination with other lipid-lowering therapies such as statins.
What is Bempedoic acid used for?
Bempedoic acid, also known as ethechinomarin or N-[(2S)-2-methylpentanoyl]-O-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)methanoate, is a prodrug which is converted into its active form in the liver. It belongs to the class of drugs known as adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase (ATP citrate lyase) inhibitors. The drug works by inhibiting ATP citrate lyase enzyme activity, thus reducing the hepatic levels of ATP and citrate. This leads to a decrease in cholesterol synthesis via the mevalonate pathway.
As an ATP citrate lyase inhibitor, bempedoic acid aims to lower elevated LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in patients with dyslipidemia, especially those who cannot reach their target low-density lipoprotein levels despite maximally tolerated statin therapy. The use of this medication may provide additional options for treating high cholesterol in such cases, as evidenced by clinical trials demonstrating its efficacy in combination with other lipid-lowering therapies like statins and ezetimibe.
Bempedoic acid side effects
- Gastrointestinal disorder
- Muscle pain
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Joint or muscle pain
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Rash
- Pruritus
- Elevated liver enzymes (ALT/AST)
- Increased blood uric acid levels
- Adverse reaction to anemia
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