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Item
#15
Atorvastatin
Lowers BP in Normolipidemic Subjects
Intensive
cholesterol reduction with atorvastatin lowers blood pressure (BP)
and large artery stiffness in normolipidemic subjects.
That,
according to a randomized double-blind trial reported in the March
20 issue of the Journal of the American College of
Cardiology.
"Isolated
systolic hypertension (ISH) is associated with elevated
cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and is primarily due
to large artery stiffening, which has been independently related
to CV mortality," write Kathryn E. Ferrier, BSc (Hons), and
colleagues from the Baker Medical Research Institute, Melbourne,
Australia. "Cholesterol-lowering therapy has been efficacious
in reducing arterial stiffness in patients with
hypercholesterolemia, and thus may be beneficial in ISH."
In
a cross-over study design, 22 patients with stage I ISH received 3
months of atorvastatin therapy (80 mg/day) and 3 months of placebo
treatment. Atorvastatin reduced total cholesterol by 36%±2% (P<.001),
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 48%+3% (P<.001)
and triglyceride levels by 23%±5% (P=.003), and increased
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 7%±3% (P=.03).
Systemic
arterial compliance measured noninvasively using carotid
applanation tonometry and Doppler velocimetry of the ascending
aorta was higher after atorvastatin treatment. Compared with
placebo, atorvastatin treatment also reduced brachial systolic BP
(154±3 mm HG vs 148+2 mm Hg, P=.03), mean BP (111±2 vs
107+2 mm Hg, P=.04) and diastolic BP (83±1 vs 81+2 mm Hg, P=.04).
"Intensive
cholesterol reduction may be beneficial in the treatment of
patients with ISH and normal lipid levels, through a reduction in
large artery stiffness," the authors write. "Such
therapy may be beneficial in slowing the progression of ISH and
reducing coronary disease-associated risk."
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2002;39(6):1020-1025
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Fact:
For
every one-percentage point drop in the Hemoglobin A1c diabetes
complication rates drop by more than 25%.
Source: Diabetes 2001: Vital Stats.
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