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Many people struggle to lower their cholesterol, even though there are medicines available that can help lower LDL-C (the 'bad' cholesterol).

High cholesterol, if not treated, can lead to a type of heart disease called atherosclerosis.[1] This disease can raise your chance of having a heart attack or stroke.

'Currently available treatments are effective tools to treat high cholesterol, but some must be provided by a doctor by injection and can be hard for people to access,' said Dr. Christie M. Ballantyne, Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

PCSK9 inhibitors are medications to help treat high cholesterol. Researchers are studying an investigational PCSK9 inhibitor that people can take as a pill once a day by mouth instead of as a shot. Currently, there are clinical studies looking at the safety of this investigational medicine and whether it works. These studies will help researchers better understand whether this medicine can lower LDL-C and the chance of cardiovascular adverse events.

Researchers are looking for people to join these studies. To qualify, you must be aged 18 years or older and you either:

• Take a statin medicine to lower cholesterol but still need to lower your LDL-C
• Have a high chance of having a heart attack or stroke and have high cholesterol even after taking a statin for at least a month

If you join one of these clinical studies, you'll get the study medicine and study-related medical exams for no cost. You'll also be paid back for travel-related study costs, such as bus fare or gas for driving to and from the study site. You don't need health insurance to join.

'These ongoing clinical studies will help us understand whether our investigational once-daily oral PCSK9 inhibitor will be an effective treatment for certain people with high cholesterol,' said Dr. Robert Blaustein, Associate Vice President for Clinical Research, Merck Research Laboratories. 'I encourage anyone who meets the eligibility criteria to speak with your health care provider to see if one of the clinical studies may be suitable for you.'

Ask your doctor if joining one of these clinical studies may be right for you. For more information on the clinical studies, visit coralreefstudies.com.

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