Treatment: Inclisiran

What is inclisiran?

Inclisiran is a relatively new drug used to treat people with high cholesterol, or high cholesterol and triglycerides, that has not been successfully reduced with other treatments. It’s administered by a health professional every three to six months via an injection under the skin, usually in the abdomen, upper arm or thigh.

Why is inclisiran given?

Inclisiran is used for the cholesterol management of patients who have exhausted all other lipid management therapies. It can be used in combination with a statin and other treatments to lower blood fats in those who meet certain criteria.

To be eligible to have inclisiran treatment you must have:

• An LDL-C blood measurement of > 2.6mmol/L despite having the maximum tolerated lipid-lowering therapy

• A history of cardiovascular disease (ischaemic heart disease) ischaemic stroke and/or peripheral arterial disease

The only group of people who can't receive the medication are those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

What does inclisiran treatment involve?

Before receiving inclisiran treatment you will have a blood test to confirm the levels of cholesterol in your blood stream. This baseline includes a full lipid profile (including LDL-C), liver function, renal function, thyroid and HbA1c.

At OneWelbeck an injection of inclisiran is given into the abdomen by a cardiac nurse at a short appointment in our outpatient clinic.

You will have a follow-up appointment three months after your first injection where you will again have a blood test to assess your full lipid profile (including LDL-C). If these are satisfactory, you will be able to continue your treatment with a second dose of inclisiran.

What to expect from inclisiran

Inclisiran is a new drug so more research needs to be done, but clinical trial evidence shows that inclisiran can lower LDL cholesterol levels by at least 50% with near-maximum reductions in LDL cholesterol levels seen from 90 days of treatment.

Risks of inclisiran

Inclisiran is considered to be a safe drug, with very few risks and only rare occurrences of side effects. With the correct administration of the drug by a OneWelbeck cardiac nurse, any potential risks are significantly lowered.

There is a small associated risk that someone may be allergic to the components in the medication but none have been reported as of yet, and there may be a hypersensitivity to the active substance. In some cases, patients experience a mild to moderate reaction at the site of the injection, which can cause a rash, pain or redness.