Elevated triglyceride levels are linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular events. However, it is unclear if lowering triglyceride levels would reduce cardiovascular risk.
Pemafibrate, a medication that selectively modulates a receptor called peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, can lower triglyceride levels and improve other lipid levels.
In this study, researchers conducted a double-blind, randomised controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of pemafibrate in patients with type 2 diabetes, mild-to-moderate hypertriglyceridaemia, and low HDL cholesterol levels. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either pemafibrate or placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, coronary revasculariaation, or cardiovascular-related death.
Among patients with type 2 diabetes, mild-to-moderate hypertriglyceridaemia, and low HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, the incidence of cardiovascular events was not lower among those who received pemafibrate than among those who received placebo, although pemafibrate lowered triglyceride, VLDL cholesterol, remnant cholesterol, and apolipoprotein C-III levels.
In this study, patients with type 2 diabetes, mild-to-moderate hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL and LDL cholesterol levels were treated with pemafibrate or placebo. Although pemafibrate effectively lowered triglyceride, VLDL cholesterol, remnant cholesterol, and apolipoprotein C-III levels, there was no significant difference in the incidence of cardiovascular events between the pemafibrate and placebo groups.
Source: NEJM
Image Credit: iStock
