Atherosclerosis is a condition in which cholesterol and fat gradually accumulate inside the walls of medium and large arteries, forming a sticky deposit called plaque. As these deposits grow, they narrow the arteries, restricting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to vital tissues and organs. Over time, this buildup can lead to ischemic heart disease (IHD) or stroke. In a recent randomized clinical trial called FLOWPROMOTE, researchers present a strategy to reverse atherosclerosis partially.
They tested whether aggressively lowering bad cholesterol in newly diagnosed patients using cholesterol-lowering statins can shrink and reverse plaque buildup in heart arteries. Over an 18-month treatment period, participants either took atorvastatin 40 mg daily, a standard high-dose statin, or rosuvastatin 40 mg plus ezetimibe 10 mg daily, a stronger statin combined with a medicine that blocks cholesterol absorption in the gut.
Plaque buildup in the heart’s arteries isn’t necessarily a point of no return because bringing cholesterol levels down aggressively can actually make existing plaques shrink. With combination therapy, 90% of patients saw their plaque volume decrease, compared with 75% on standard treatment. The findings are published in JAMA Cardiology.
