| Two
researchers report the effectiveness of statin therapy in two
patient populations—patients who recently underwent a first
angioplasty and patients who have undergone a percutaneous coronary
intervention (PCI)—at a news conference Sunday. Their results
show that statins reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
levels in first-time angioplasty patients and lower mortality
in PCI patients.
Patrick
W. Serruys, MD, of Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands,
presented the results of the LIPS, or “Lescol Intervention
Prevention Study.” He compared the effect of fluvastatin
(40 mg bid) on patients who had experienced a major cardiac
event after a recent first angioplasty. Patients taking the
drug, which was given 2.7 days after the procedure, had LDL
levels of 137 or less over a three- to four-year period.
Those
on the statin also had a 22 percent risk reduction for a major
adverse cardiac event, added Dr. Serruys. When looking at
secondary endpoints, he found that patients with diabetes
or multilevel diseases also reduced their risk for major adverse
coronary events. According to Dr. Serruys, this trial supports
the use of early lipid-lowering medication in post-PCI patients.
Albert
W. Chan, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, described
the results of a study that looked at whether there was a
survival benefit associated with statin therapy at the time
of PCI. Of 6,647 patients studied, 23.5 percent were treated
with a statin at the time of PCI. Dr. Chan found that statin
therapy was associated with a 60 percent lower mortality at
30 days and a 37 percent reduction at six months.
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