Testing a stronger cholesterol drug for dangerous heart artery plaques

This trial is testing whether PCSK9 inhibitors—a newer, more powerful cholesterol-lowering medication—can prevent heart attacks and strokes better than standard cholesterol drugs alone. Researchers will enroll about 3,600 people who have been found to have dangerous-looking plaques in their heart arteries on a special CT scan. Half will receive the medication plus standard treatment, and half will receive standard treatment alone, so doctors can compare which group has better outcomes.

Standard cholesterol medications work well for many people, but some patients still have dangerous plaque buildup in their heart arteries that puts them at high risk for heart attacks and strokes. This trial aims to find out whether this new, more powerful medication can offer better protection for these high-risk patients.