Expert consensus on the rational clinical use of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors

Apostolos Achimastos, Theodoros Alexandrides, Dimitrios Alexopoulos, Vasilios Athyros, Alexandra Bargiota, Eleni Bilianou, Christina Chrysochoou, Evridiki Drogari, Moses Elisaf, Emanouel Ganotakis, Ioannis Goudevenos, Ioannis Ioannidis, Genovefa Kolovou, Vasilios Kotsis, Ioannis Lekakis, Evangelos Liberopoulos, Andreas Melidonis, Vasilios Nikolaou, George Ntaios, Nikolaos Papanas, Stavros Pappas, Christos Pitsavos, Loukianos Rallidis, Dimitrios Richter, Ioannis Skoumas, Nicolaos Tentolouris, Dimitrios Tousoulis, Alexandros Tselepis, KonstantinosTsioufis, Dimitrios Tziakas, Konstantinos Tziomalos, Panagiotis Vardas, Charalabos Vlachopoulos, Dimitrios Vlahakos

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Two proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, evolocumab and alirocumab, have recently been approved by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. These fully human monoclonal antibodies selectively block PCSK9, thus permitting the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor to effectively recycle to the surface of liver cells. The administration of these antibodies leads to robust LDL …

The role of estrogens in cardiovascular disease in the aftermath of clinical trials

Lambrini Gouva, Agathocles Tsatsoulis

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The effects of estrogens on reproductive tissues and climacteric symptoms are unambiguous. However, their effects on other tissues and, in particular, the cardiovascular system remain controversial. In general, premenopausal women are protected from coronary heart disease (CHD) compared with aged-matched men but this `female protection’ appears to be lost after menopause, suggesting beneficial effects of female sex hormones on the cardiovascular system…

Coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women; the role of endogenous estrogens and their receptors

Katerina Saltiki, Maria Alevizaki

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Coronary heart disease is the main cause of death in women. Women during reproductive years are at lower risk for coronary heart disease than men but this difference tends to disappear after the menopause. In this article, we briefly review the clinical and experimental data which highlight the protective role of endogenous estrogens in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease …