Cholesterol medicine news update: FDA approves new cholesterol-lowering drug Repatha

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Around 73.5 million adult Americans have high low-density lipoprotein or "bad" cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC. Less than half of those affected by high bad cholesterol are receiving treatment for it, and one out of three adults with high LDL cholesterol have it under control.

The good news is that the Food and Drug Administration or FDA has approved Repatha, another powerful medication that lower cholesterol, according to the NY Times. Amgen's Repatha joins the ranks of Sanofi Regeneron’s Praluent, which was approved last month. According to the NY Times, both Repatha and Praluent are antibodies that inactivate the PCSK9 gene. Research had shown that those with less or inactive PCSK9 genes have very low LDL cholesterol levels and are less at risk for heart disease.

The FDA also cites that some of Repatha's side effects include nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, flu, back pain, and reactions such as redness, pain or bruising where the injection is given.

According to CNN, there are currently seven available medications for lowering cholesterol in the market. These medications, called statins, block a substance the body needs to make cholesterol and help the body reabsorb cholesterol in the artery walls, according to the Mayo Clinic.

CNN also reports that according to Dr. Elliott Antman, president of the American Heart Association, these drugs are "a powerful new way of lowering the bad form of cholesterol, and that has profound implications in dealing with the burden of vascular disease."

The FDA reports that according to John Jenkins, MD, director of the Office of New Drugs at CDC, "Repatha provides another treatment option in this new class of drugs for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia or with known cardiovascular disease who have not been able to lower their LDL cholesterol enough with statins."

He added: "Cardiovascular disease is a serious threat to the health of Americans, and the FDA is committed to facilitating the development and approval of effective and safe drugs to address this important public health problem."

According to the American Heart Association, the risk for coronary heart disease rises as blood cholesterol does. Other risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure or diabetes. The AHA recommends a heart-healthy eating plan and lifestyle changes as keys to improving cholesterol levels in the body. Staying away from food that is high in saturated fat or trans fat is one of the better lifestyle modifications one can do to prevent high cholesterol.