{"id":631015,"date":"2025-01-16T09:30:08","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T14:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=631015"},"modified":"2025-01-14T15:36:45","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T20:36:45","slug":"is-repatha-a-statin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/is-repatha-a-statin\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Repatha a statin?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If Repatha were ever to leave the market, there are other, non-statin medications doctors can use. Some<\/span> options include<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

Repatha<\/span><\/a> (evolocumab) is a brand-name medication that is FDA approved to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, by helping to restore blood flow to the heart in individuals with heart disease. Similar to statins, Repatha is a <\/span>cholesterol-lowering<\/span><\/a> prescription drug. However, these medications work differently and belong to different drug classes. Statins are the first-line treatment for high cholesterol. If statins alone don\u2019t lower your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, or if they cause unpleasant side effects, your provider may recommend Repatha as a treatment option. You can take Repatha alongside statins, such as<\/span> Lipitor<\/span><\/a> (atorvastatin) or <\/span>Crestor<\/span><\/a> (rosuvastatin), or on its own because it works differently.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is Repatha a statin?<\/span><\/h2>\n

No, Repatha is not a statin. Statins work by blocking an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which is involved in cholesterol production in the liver. Repatha works by enhancing the removal of LDL cholesterol from circulation. \u201cRepatha is a <\/span>PCSK9 inhibitor<\/span><\/a>. PCSK9 is a protein that recycles receptors for the bad cholesterol. When we block this protein, we increase the receptors for the bad cholesterol. When we increase those, more cholesterol can leave the blood,\u201d explains <\/span>Rigved Tadwalkar, MD<\/span><\/a>, a board-certified cardiologist and medical director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because Repatha is in a completely different drug class than statins, it works for people who can\u2019t tolerate statins. \u201cThis is my go-to medication when a statin doesn\u2019t work for the patient,\u201d explains <\/span>Yu-Ming Ni, MD<\/span><\/a>, board-certified cardiologist and lipidologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. \u201cWhile I typically prescribe Repatha with a statin, there are some patients\u2014around 9%\u2014that cannot tolerate statins because they have <\/span>muscle side effects<\/span><\/a>. Repatha works quite well and is one of the most effective cholesterol-reducing medications.\u201d That\u2019s not to say Repatha and other PCSKP inhibitors like <\/span>Praluent<\/span><\/a> (alirocumab) are better than statins; they just work differently.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, Repatha can help people whose cholesterol is still high when taking statins. \u201cRepatha is a really important medication because it allows people to lower their dosages of the statins but still lowers their cholesterol,\u201d Dr. Tadwalkar explains. Taking a lower dosage may help to lower your risk of side effects from statins.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Repatha may be more tolerable than statins in some individuals, the medication is not without side effects and risks.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the <\/span>manufacturer\u2019s prescribing information<\/span><\/a>, common side effects of Repatha include:<\/span><\/p>\n