BACKGROUND Guidelines recommend nonstatin lipid-lowering agents in patients at very high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) if low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) remains ≥70 mg/dL on maximum tolerated statin treatment. It is uncertain if this approach benefits patients with LDL-C near 70 mg/dL. Lipoprotein(a) levels may influence residual risk. OBJECTIVES In a post hoc analysis of the ODYSSEY Outcomes (Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab) trial, the authors evaluated the benefit of adding the proprotein subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor alirocumab to optimized statin treatment in patients with LDL-C levels near 70 mg/dL. Effects were evaluated according to concurrent lipoprotein(a) levels. METHODS ODYSSEY Outcomes compared alirocumab with placebo in 18,924 patients with recent acute coronary syndromes receiving optimized statin treatment. In 4,351 patients (23.0%), screening or randomization LDL-C was <70 mg/dL (median 69.4 mg/dL; interquartile range: 64.3–74.0 mg/dL); in 14,573 patients (77.0%), both determinations were ≥70 mg/dL (median 94.0 mg/dL; interquartile range: 83.2–111.0 mg/dL). RESULTS In the lower LDL-C subgroup, MACE rates were 4.2 and 3.1 per 100 patient-years among placebo-treated patients with baseline lipoprotein(a) greater than or less than or equal to the median (13.7 mg/dL). Corresponding adjusted treatment hazard ratios were 0.68 (95% confidence interval [Cl]: 0.52–0.90) and 1.11 (95% Cl: 0.83–1.49), with treatment-lipoprotein(a) interaction on MACE ( P interaction = 0.017). In the higher LDL-C subgroup, MACE rates were 4.7 and 3.8 per 100 patient-years among placebo-treated patients with lipoprotein(a) >13.7 mg/dL or ≤13.7 mg/dL; corresponding adjusted treatment hazard ratios were 0.82 (95% Cl: 0.72–0.92) and 0.89 (95% Cl: 0.75–1.06), with P interaction = 0.43. CONCLUSIONS In patients with recent acute coronary syndromes and LDL-C near 70 mg/dL on optimized statin therapy, proprotein subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibition provides incremental clinical benefit only when lipoprotein(a) concentration is at least mildly elevated. (ODYSSEY Outcomes: Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab; NCT01663402 )

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Objective. To evaluate the efficiency of radiofrequency denervation of the renal arteries in patients with resi-stant arterial hypertension during a three-year follow-up. Materials and methods. The study involved 40 patients with resistant arterial hypertension aged 27 to 70 years (mean age 54.91±9.77 years) while receiving three or more antihypertensive drugs (including diuretic) in optimal doses. The conditions for inclusion in the study were considered resistant arterial hypertension with blood pressure (BP)>160/100 mm Hg, intact kidney function - glomerular filtration rate (MDRD)>45 ml/min - and the absence of secondary hypertension. All patients had sympatic radiofrequency denervation of renal arteries; its efficiency later was estimated according to the clinical measurement and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Results. The level of office BP reliably differed initially and after 3 years: DSBP -34.48±6.44 mm Hg (p=0.001), DDBP - 22.29 mm Hg (p=0.001). According to ABPM results, reliable dynamics of systolic blood pressure was not observed. The data of DBP at night were significantly lower after 36 months; DDBP was -5.37±9.77 mm Hg. Conclusions. A marked decrease in the data of office SBP and DBP was observed, which proves the long-term efficiency of radiofrequency denervation of the renal arteries in patients with resistant hypertension. Accor-ding to ABPM results after 36 months, a significant decrease was registered among the DBP indicators at night and daytime.

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