Effects of Statins
Reported January 6, 2005
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Two new studies focus on the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins and their impact on cholesterol and C-reactive protein levels.
C-reactive protein is a protein produced by the liver that predicts inflammation in the arteries. One study shows C-reactive protein measurement is an important key to determining cardiovascular risk.
In this first study, researchers focused on whether the lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and C-reactive protein levels had an impact on patients’ outcome. Doctors looked at these two markers in patients who were treated with one of two statin drugs. They also assessed the risk of heart attack and death in the patients.
Researchers report statin therapy does reduce LDL levels and the C-reactive protein levels. They also found patients with low C-reactive protein levels after statin therapy fare better than those with higher C-reactive protein levels. This finding happened regardless of the LDL cholesterol level. Study authors write, Strategies to lower cardiovascular risk with statins should include monitoring CRP as well as cholesterol.
The second study shows more intensive statin therapy improves the reduction in cholesterol and C-reactive protein levels.
Researchers focused on patients’ outcome after different levels of statin therapy. The heart patients received either moderate treatment, which included 40 milligrams of a statin or intensive therapy, which included 80 milligrams of a statin per day. Patients underwent tests to determine their rate of atherosclerosis progression, which measures hardening of the arteries.
Study authors recommend patients with heart disease to undergo intensive statin therapy to reduce the rate of progression of atherosclerosis. The intensive therapy lowered both LDL and C-reactive protein levels more than the moderate therapy.
SOURCE: The New England Journal of Medicine, 2005;352:20-28, 29-38