Inclisiran: A New Way to Lower Bad Cholesterol Without Statins
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High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, but not everyone can—or wants to—take statins, the most common treatment. Some people are statin-intolerant, while others worry about side effects. A new medication called Inclisiran offers an alternative that might work just as well, with fewer doses and promising results.
What Is Inclisiran?
Inclisiran is a medication that helps lower "bad" cholesterol, also known as LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol). It’s different from statins, which are pills taken daily. Instead, Inclisiran is given as a shot just twice a year (after an initial dose and a follow-up three months later). That’s it—no daily pills.
It works by turning off a protein in the liver called PCSK9, which normally limits the body’s ability to remove LDL-C from the blood. By blocking this protein, Inclisiran helps your liver clear out more bad cholesterol.
Who Is It For?
This new study looked at adults who didn’t have heart disease but had higher-than-ideal LDL-C levels (between 100 and 190 mg/dL). None of them were taking any cholesterol-lowering drugs before the trial. Many were people who wouldn’t usually be prescribed statins or who didn’t want to take them.
How Effective Is It?
In the study, participants were split into three groups. One group got Inclisiran injections, one took ezetimibe (a non-statin cholesterol pill), and one received a placebo (no active treatment).
After about 5 months:
- Those who got Inclisiran lowered their LDL-C by about 47–50%.
- Those on ezetimibe lowered their LDL-C by about 11%.
- The placebo group saw almost no change.
Inclisiran also reduced other harmful fats in the blood, including PCSK9, non-HDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a), all linked to heart disease risk.
Is It Safe?
Yes, Inclisiran was generally safe and well tolerated. Side effects were similar to those seen with other cholesterol treatments, and no serious safety concerns came up in the trial. Only a few people stopped treatment because of side effects, and no deaths were reported during the study.
Some mild reactions included:
- Minor injection site reactions
- Slight increase in blood sugar for a few people
- A few liver-related lab changes (also seen in other treatments)
Overall, the safety profile was reassuring—especially for those worried about the side effects of statins.
Why It Matters
Many people avoid or stop taking statins because of muscle pain, daily pill fatigue, or worries about long-term use. Inclisiran offers a convenient, twice-a-year option that might help people stay on track with cholesterol management.
For those with mildly high cholesterol and no signs of heart disease, doctors often hesitate to start long-term medication. But this study shows Inclisiran can be an effective standalone option—especially for those at low to moderate risk who still want to lower their LDL-C.
Final Thoughts
Inclisiran is shaping up to be a game-changer for people who need help lowering bad cholesterol but don’t want—or can’t take—statins. With just two injections a year and strong results in lowering LDL-C, it could become a leading choice for heart disease prevention in the future.
As always, talk to your doctor before making any decisions about cholesterol treatments. But if you’re looking for a simpler, statin-free option, Inclisiran might be worth asking about.