Evolocumab reduced first heart attacks in high-risk patients
Estimated five-year first heart attack rates were 2.7% with evolocumab and 4.1% with placebo, with a 36% relative reduction in risk.
Placebo-controlled
Limit: The abstract did not report adverse-event results
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
A randomized trial enrolled 12,257 patients with fatty buildup in their arteries or high-risk diabetes, but no previous heart attack or stroke. All had levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, often called “bad” cholesterol, of at least 90 milligrams per deciliter. Researchers assigned them to evolocumab or placebo alongside optimized cholesterol-lowering therapy.
This prespecified analysis focused on first heart attacks. During a median follow-up of 4.6 years, 149 patients in the evolocumab group and 229 in the placebo group experienced a heart attack. A committee unaware of treatment assignments assessed these events. Heart attack risk was already lower with evolocumab by six months, and the benefit persisted over time.
Why it matters
Heart attack prevention is relevant to cardiovascular health in later life. This analysis addressed whether intensive cholesterol lowering can help high-risk people before their first heart attack.
Caveats
The conference abstract did not report evolocumab’s dose or adverse-event results. The findings concern high-risk patients without a previous heart attack or stroke, not lower-risk people.
Evolocumab is part of Bryan Johnson's Blueprint
The paper
University of Torino and Città della Salute e della Scienza; Brigham and Women's Hospital
ESC Congress 2026 Abstract, Oct 26, 2026
Presented at ESC Congress 2026