Alirocumab is a medication that serves to lower cholesterol and, consequently, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack or stroke, for example.
Alirocumab is an easy-to-use home-use injectable remedy that contains an anti-body that inhibits the action of PSCK9, an enzyme that prevents bad cholesterol from being eliminated from the blood.
Indications of Alirocumab (Praluent)
Alirocumab is indicated for patients with high cholesterol of hereditary origin or for those in whom cholesterol does not decrease sufficiently with the use of conventional medicines, such as Simvastatin, even at the maximum allowable dose.
How to use Alirocumab (Praluent)
Usually 1 injection of 75mg every 15 days is indicated, but the doctor can increase the dose to 150mg every 15 days if it is necessary to reduce cholesterol values by more than 60%. The injection can be applied subcutaneously in the thigh, abdomen or arm, and it is important to alternate the sites of the applications.
The injections can be administered by the person or caregiver after the doctor, nurse or pharmacist, but it is easy to apply because it consists of a single-use pre-filled pen.
Side effects of Alirocumab (Praluent)
Allergic reactions such as itching, nummular eczema and vasculitis may appear and the injection site may become swollen and painful. In addition, it is common for respiratory system symptoms such as sneezing and rhinitis.
Contraindications of Alirocumab (Praluent)
This medication is not indicated for children and adolescents up to the age of 18 years, as well as pregnant women because no safety tests have been performed in these situations. It is also contraindicated during breastfeeding because it passes through breast milk,
Where to buy Alirocumab (Praluent)
Alirocumab is a drug under the trade name Praluent which is being tested by Sanofi and Regeneron and is not yet available for sale to the public.
Conventional cholesterol remedies, such as simvastatin, typically increase PSCK9 production and, after a while, the drug becomes less effective in lowering cholesterol. Thus, Alirocumab can be used to supplement the treatment with this type of medication, and can be used as a single treatment in patients who can not reduce cholesterol with conventional medicines.
Check out how to supplement the treatment to control blood cholesterol:
- Cholesterol Remedy
- Diet to lower cholesterol
