{"id":636661,"date":"2026-06-18T09:30:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T13:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=636661"},"modified":"2026-06-09T11:22:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T15:22:41","slug":"is-repatha-safe-for-diabetics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/is-repatha-safe-for-diabetics\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Repatha safe to take if you have diabetes?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Managing diabetes is already a full-time job. So when your healthcare provider adds another prescription to the mix, it’s fair to wonder: Do I really need this, and is it safe? If you\u2019ve just been prescribed <\/span>Repatha<\/span><\/a> (evolocumab) to help you bring <\/span>your cholesterol levels<\/span><\/a> down, here\u2019s the short answer. Yes, it\u2019s safe. Plus, it could be the most important medication you take.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clinical trial data backs its use in people with<\/span> diabetes<\/span><\/a>, and research shows it can significantly cut your risk of heart disease and stroke, two of the most serious complications of living with diabetes. Here’s what you need to know about how it works, what to watch for, and why your cardiologist might seem pretty enthusiastic about this medication.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why might a person with diabetes be prescribed Repatha?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Repatha is an injectable medication that helps lower your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (LDL-C levels). LDL cholesterol is often referred to as the “bad” kind of cholesterol, since<\/span> it <\/span>raises your risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)<\/span><\/a>, including heart attack and stroke<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

High LDL cholesterol <\/span>and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels are<\/span> especially problematic for people with Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and prediabetes, who already have a higher risk of ASCVD, says University of Missouri Health Care cardiologist <\/span>Mary Beth Fisher<\/span><\/a>, DO. Because Repatha can reduce your LDL by up to 60%, Dr. Fisher says it’s important not to underestimate this medication’s benefits for people with diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although it has a similar effect on cholesterol as statin medications, <\/span>Repatha is not a statin<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>Statins<\/span><\/a> work by blocking an enzyme that regulates cholesterol production in the liver. But Repatha is a <\/span>PCSK9 inhibitor<\/span><\/a> that works by blocking a protein that limits how much cholesterol your liver can eliminate from your blood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most people with high blood cholesterol take statins. They’re still considered the first-line treatment. But sometimes people don’t reach their LDL goal even with the highest tolerated statin dose, says <\/span>Jossef Amirian<\/span><\/a>, MD, a cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology in New York City, and others<\/span> can’t take statins at all due to side effects like muscle pain. For these people, Repatha can be used <\/span>in addition to a statin or as a substitute for one.<\/span><\/p>\n

Repatha is also <\/span>prescribed<\/span><\/a> by healthcare professionals as an adjunct to diet and exercise in high-risk patients with forms of dyslipidemia, including:<\/span><\/p>\n