Do CETP Inhibitors Really Help the Heart? A Look Beyond Cholesterol
Dr. Kumar’s Take:
This study gives us updated insights into a controversial class of cholesterol-targeting drugs—CETP inhibitors. CETP stands for Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein, a protein that helps move cholesterol between different lipoproteins like LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and HDL (“good” cholesterol). Blocking CETP raises HDL and lowers LDL—but whether that actually helps reduce heart disease has been a big question.
While this study shows that CETP inhibitors can slightly lower the risk of heart attack and cardiovascular death, not all CETP inhibitors are created equal: