Prevention & lipidsResearch article
Rethinking cardiovascular prevention: cost-effective cholesterol lowering for statin-intolerant patients in Australia and the UK
- Cost-effectiveness analysis (microsimulation model)
- Australian and UK national healthcare system perspective
Authors' conclusion
Ezetimibe and bempedoic acid, both alone and in combination, are cost-effective for long-term primary prevention of CVD in a range of people with statin intolerance, depending on their baseline risk of CVD.
Study context
- Population
- Simulated statin-intolerant individuals, primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), aged 40 to 85 years, Australia and UK
- Participants
- 108 simulated individuals
- Comparison
- Non-statin lipid-lowering therapy initiated at age 40 years vs no intervention until a CV event
- Outcome
- Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio vs thresholds of 28 000 AUD (Australia) and 25 000 GBP (UK) per quality adjusted life year gained
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Proportion of individuals in whom therapy was cost-effective, Australia (current prices)
Further findings
| Outcome | Values |
|---|---|
| Proportion of individuals in whom therapy was cost-effective, UK | Ezetimibe 90.7% · Bempedoic acid 4.6% · Bempedoic acid + ezetimibe 10.2% · Inclisiran 0.0% · Evolocumab 0.0% |
- Proportion of individuals in whom therapy was cost-effective, UK: discounted 3.5% annually (UK)
Bempedoic acid cost-effectiveness by LDL-C and SBP
- Predominantly among LDL-C ≥4.0 mmol/L and SBP ≥140 mmHg (Australia)
- Predominantly among LDL-C ≥5.0 mmol/L and SBP ≥160 mmHg (UK)
Original publication
Rethinking cardiovascular prevention: cost-effective cholesterol lowering for statin-intolerant patients in Australia and the UK. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 21 March 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf114
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it