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Simvastatin, a competitive inhibitor of HMG‐CoA reductase, lowers cholesterol saturation index of gallbladder bile
Author(s) -
Duane William C.,
Hunninghake Donald B.,
Freeman Martin L.,
Pooler Pete A.,
Schlasner Linda A.,
Gebhard Roger L.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840080531
Subject(s) - simvastatin , reductase , hmg coa reductase , gallstones , medicine , gallbladder , cholesterol , endocrinology , pravastatin , gastroenterology , hydroxymethylglutaryl coa reductase , chemistry , enzyme , biochemistry
We tested the possibility that simvastatin, a competitive inhibitor of HMG‐CoA reductase related to mevinolin, might alter cholesterol saturation of gallbladder bile. Ten patients with Type IIa or IIb hypercholesterolemia underwent bile sampling before, and again after, treatment with 20 or 40 mg per day simvastatin for 7 to 13 weeks. Mean cholesterol saturation index of gallbladder bile fell from 1.01 to 0.77 during simvastatin treatment (p < 0.01). This finding strongly suggests that treatment with HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitors will not predispose to development of cholesterol gallstones. Indeed, it raises the possibility that such inhibitors might have a future role to play in treatment of gallstones.