- Indications of Alirocumab (Praluent)
- Directions for use of Alirocumab (Praluent)
- Side effects of Alirocumab (Praluent)
- Contraindications for Alirocumab (Praluent)
- Where to buy Alirocumab (Praluent)
Alirocumab is a medicine that serves to reduce cholesterol and, consequently, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack or stroke, for example.
Alirocumab is an easy-to-use injectable medicine to use at home, which contains an anti-body capable of inhibiting the action of PSCK9, an enzyme that prevents bad cholesterol from being eliminated from the blood.
Indications of Alirocumab (Praluent)
Alirocumab is indicated for cases of patients with high cholesterol of hereditary origin or for those in which cholesterol does not decrease sufficiently with the use of conventional medicines, such as Simvastatines, even at their maximum allowed dose.
Directions for use of Alirocumab (Praluent)
Normally 1 injection of 75mg is indicated every 15 days, but the doctor may 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, it is important to alternate the application sites.
The injections can be administered by the person or caregiver after explanation by the doctor, nurse or pharmacist, but it is easy to be applied because it consists of a pre-filled pen for single use.
Side effects of Alirocumab (Praluent)
Allergic reactions such as itching, nummular eczema and vasculitis may appear and the injection area may become swollen and painful. In addition, symptoms in the respiratory system such as sneezing and rhinitis are common.
Contraindications for Alirocumab (Praluent)
This medication is not indicated for children and adolescents up to 18 years old, as well as pregnant women because safety tests have not 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 medicine with the trade name of Praluent, which is being tested by the Sanofi and Regeneron laboratories, and is not yet available for sale to the public.
Typically, conventional cholesterol remedies, such as simvastatin, increase the production of PSCK9 and, therefore, after some time, the medication becomes less efficient in reducing cholesterol. Thus, Alirocumab can be used to complement treatment with this type of medication, in addition to being able to be used as a single treatment in patients who are unable to reduce cholesterol with conventional medicines.
Check out how to complement the treatment to control blood cholesterol: