Premium
Simvastatin in severe hypercholesterolaemia: a placebo controlled trial.
Author(s) -
McDowell IF,
Smye M.,
Trinick T.,
Shortt JA,
Archibald MP,
Trimble ER,
Nicholls DP
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1991.tb05539.x
Subject(s) - simvastatin , placebo , medicine , apolipoprotein b , cholesterol , fibrinogen , triglyceride , endocrinology , very low density lipoprotein , lipoprotein , hydroxymethylglutaryl coa reductase , blood viscosity , hmg coa reductase , adverse effect , reductase , chemistry , biochemistry , enzyme , alternative medicine , pathology
The effect of simvastatin in 27 patients with severe primary hypercholesterolaemia was assessed by a double‐blind placebo controlled parallel group trial. Total serum cholesterol, LDL‐cholesterol and apoprotein B (ApoB) were significantly reduced by simvastatin 40 mg daily. Reductions in triglyceride and VLDL‐cholesterol and an increase in HDL‐cholesterol levels were only significant when calculated as a percentage of baseline, because of wide inter‐individual variability. No changes in apoprotein A1, lipoprotein (a), fibrinogen, viscosity or blood pressure were observed. Leucocyte HMG‐CoA reductase activity was unchanged after 4 weeks of active treatment but increased by 87% after 3 months (n = 21, P less than 0.05). No severe adverse effects or changes in CK or AST levels were noted. We conclude that simvastatin is effective in the treatment of severe and resistant hypercholesterolaemia, and well tolerated in the short term.