Health Watch: Patients Responding Positively To New Drug For High Cholesterol

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A new, experimental class of drug is giving hope to the 1 in 6 American adults who struggle with high cholesterol.

It's showing promise in patients who don't respond to traditional statins.

The new class of drugs are called PCSK9 Antibodies. The antibodies target a protein that regulates cholesterol and lowers the levels of LDL.

In trials, the drug lowered the bad cholesterol by 60 percent.

Right now, statins are used to treat high cholesterol. They work by inhibiting an enzyme that plays an important role in the production of cholesterol in the liver. But some patients can't stand the side effects.

These new drugs could be used as an alternative.

Researchers said more studies need to be done, including any long term side effects from taking the drugs.