MedWorm: Atorvastatin Calcium

Statins in Acute Coronary Syndromes and Genetic Insight

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:00:34 +0100

This report is similar to the original PROVE IT–TIMI 22 (Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy–Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 22) results and raises 3 additional questions of clinical importance. First, was the MACE benefit primarily in favor of carriers of the KIF6 polymorphism? Second, was the time to benefit shorter in carriers of the KIF6 polymorphism? And third, why were differences in LDL-C and hs-CRP levels not associated with clinical outcome? (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

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Atorvastatin Causes Insulin Resistance and Increases Ambient Glycemia in Hypercholesterolemic Patients

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:00:27 +0100

Conclusions: Despite beneficial reductions in LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, atorvastatin treatment resulted in significant increases in fasting insulin and glycated hemoglobin levels consistent with insulin resistance and increased ambient glycemia in hypercholesterolemic patients. (Effects of Atorvastatin on Adiponectin Levels and Insulin Sensitivity In Hypercholesterolemic Patients; NCT00745836) (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

Clopidogrel Provides Significantly Greater Inhibition of Platelet Activity Than Aspirin When Combined With Atorvastatin After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Prospective Randomized Study

Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:48:35 +0100

Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the combination of C + A is more effective than that of ASA + A in inhibiting ADP-mediated platelet aggregation and expression of major platelet receptors after CABG. (Source: Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis)

ACC: Vitamin D Not Linked to Myalgia in TNT Study (CME/CE)

MedPage Today Cardiovascular — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:39 +0100

ATLANTA (MedPage Today) -- Researchers here said they could not find a link between levels of vitamin D and the incidence of myalgias among patients treated with atorvastatin (Lipitor). (Source: MedPage Today Cardiovascular)

Intensive Lipitor Therapy Was Associated With Reduced Risk Of Cardiovascular Events In Two High-Risk Patient Groups

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:00:00 +0100

Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) 80 mg was associated with a significantly reduced risk of major cardiovascular events compared with Lipitor 10 mg among patients with both coronary heart disease (CHD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) who were obese or had metabolic syndrome. These data, from two sub-analyses of the Treating to New Targets (TNT) trial that were designed and completed following the completion of TNT, were presented today at the 59th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in Atlanta, Ga... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Intensive Lipitor Therapy Was Associated With Reduced Risk Of Cardiovascular Events In Two High-Risk Patient Groups

Cardiovascular / Cardiology News From Medical News Today — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:00:00 +0100

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Pill "cuts risk of heart attacks"

Pharmacy Europe — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:42:57 +0100

Cholesterol drug Lipitor has been found to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke if taken in high doses. (Source: Pharmacy Europe)

Pfizer: More Lipitor Cuts Heart Complications More

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A reanalysis of research data found a high dose of popular cholesterol pill Lipitor lowers risk of heart attack and stroke in some patients with both heart disease and kidney disease, the drug's maker said Monday. Pfizer Inc. said the new analysis, which... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

Atorvastatin Reduces Plaque Vulnerability in an Atherosclerotic Rabbit Model by Altering the 5-Lipoxygenase Pathway

Karger Publishers — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Cardiology 2010;115:221228 (DOI:10.1159/000296017) (Source: Karger Publishers)

Efficacy of High-Dose Atorvastatin Loading Before Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: The STATIN STEMI Trial

Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:59:21 +0100

Conclusions High-dose atorvastatin pre-treatment before PCI did not show a significant reduction of MACEs compared with low-dose atorvastatin but did show improved immediate coronary flow after primary PCI. High-dose atorvastatin may produce an optimal result for STEMI patients undergoing PCI by improving microvascular myocardial perfusion. (Efficacy of High-Dose AtorvaSTATIN Loading Before Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction [STATIN STEMI]; NCT00808717). (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions)

High-Dose Atorvastatin in Acute Coronary and Cerebrovascular Syndromes

Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:59:21 +0100

(Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions)

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Intensive Lipitor Therapy Was Associated With Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Events In Two High-Risk Patient Groups

Drugs.com - Clinical Trials — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:49:19 +0100

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 15, 2010 - Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) 80 mg was associated with a significantly reduced risk of major cardiovascular events compared with Lipitor 10 mg among patients with both coronary heart disease (CHD)... (Source: Drugs.com - Clinical Trials)

Pfizer: Study finds high Lipitor dose cuts chances of heart complications over low dose

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:49:00 +0100

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A reanalysis of research data found a high dose of popular cholesterol pill Lipitor lowers risk of heart attack and stroke in some patients with both heart disease and kidney disease, the drug's maker said Monday. Pfizer Inc.... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

Does Cholesterol Really Matter?

NaturalNews.com — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) I'd like to shine the spotlight on one of medicine's sacred cows- the belief that lowering cholesterol with drugs protects against heart attacks and premature death. Our obsession with cholesterol began in the 1950s when studies linked high consumption of animal fat with high rates of heart disease. This opened the door for clinical trials that laid the foundation of a new paradigm: the cholesterol theory of cardiovascular disease.This theory has had profound ramifications. It changed the way we eat (fats bad, carbohydrates good) and contributed to our problems with obesity and diabetes. It wormed its way into "clinical practice guidelines"- cholesterol management has become a "standard of care" that doctors are expected to follow. It spawned the invasive heart surgery indust...

New cholesterol drug tested

NHS News Feed — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:13:00 +0100

Conclusion This is an important and well-conducted trial, which has demonstrated the potential of a drug, eprotirome, to lower cholesterol levels. However, conclusions about the effects of this drug should not be made too prematurely and much further research is needed: So far, use of the drug alone has not been compared to statin treatment. In this trial eprotirome or inactive placebo was only ever given in addition to people’s long-term statins. Therefore no comparison of cholesterol-lowering effect of each of the treatments alone can be made. Only a small number of people were included in the trial: 47 on the 25microgram dose, 46 on 50micrograms, and 44 on the 100microgram dose of eprotirome. These groups of participants are too small to draw any conclusions on the safety or eff...

Prevention of Peri-procedural Myocardial Injury Using a Single High Loading Dose of Rosuvastatin

Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:45:03 +0100

Conclusion A single high loading dose of rosuvastatin reduces the incidence of peri-procedural myocardial necrosis and infarction effectively. Content Type Journal ArticleDOI 10.1007/s10557-010-6224-1Authors Serkan Cay, Yuksek Ihtisas Heart-Education and Research Hospital Department of Cardiology Ankara TurkeyGoksel Cagirci, Ministry of Health Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Research and Educational Hospital Department of Cardiology Ankara TurkeyNihat Sen, Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Medicine Department of Cardiology Hatay TurkeyYucel Balbay, Yuksek Ihtisas Heart-Education and Research Hospital Department of Cardiology Ankara TurkeyTahir Durmaz, Ataturk Education and Research Hospital Department of Cardiology Ankara TurkeySinan Aydogdu, Yuksek Ihtisas Heart-Edu...

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Thyroid hormone analogue eprotirome may be useful for statin-treated dyslipidaemia

NeLM - News — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: NEJM Area: News According to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the thyroid hormone analogue eprotirome may be a useful option in patients in whom statins alone cannot reverse dyslipidaemia. Researchers state that because thyroid hormone lowers levels of serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and has other potentially favourable actions on lipoprotein metabolism, they evaluated the safety and efficacy of the thyromimetic compound eprotirome (KB2115) in lowering the level of serum LDL cholesterol in patients with hypercholesterolemia who were already receiving simvastatin or atorvastatin. The placebo-controlled, double-blind study involved a total of 184 patients randomised to receive either placebo (n=47) or eprotirome at a do...

Use of the Thyroid Hormone Analogue Eprotirome in Statin-Treated Dyslipidemia

New England Journal of Medicine — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial assessed the safety and efficacy of the thyromimetic compound eprotirome in lowering the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level in patients with hypercholesterolemia who were already receiving simvastatin or atorvastatin. Eprotirome was associated with decreased LDL levels in patients treated with statins. (Source: New England Journal of Medicine)

Effect of Atorvastatin and Ezetimibe Treatment on Serum Lipid Profile and Oxidative State in Rats Fed With a High-Cholesterol Diet.

The American Journal of the Medical Sciences — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS:: Atorvastatin has a beneficial effect on oxidative stress in rats fed with high-cholesterol diet. A combination of ezetimibe with atorvastatin diminishes the beneficial effects of atorvastatin. Conversely, the sole administration of ezetimibe increases oxidative stress. PMID: 20224310 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The American Journal of the Medical Sciences)

Different Effects of Commonly Prescribed Statins on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Wall Biology.

PubMed: Eur J Vasc Endovasc ... — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The use of statins was not associated with a decrease in protease levels or inflammation. The trends of elevated protease levels associated with pravastatin use suggest pleiotropic differences among the various statins, supporting the need for further research to target pharmaceutical AAA treatment. PMID: 20226696 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: PubMed: Eur J Vasc Endovasc ...)

LIPITOR (Atorvastatin Calcium) Tablet, Film Coated [Parke-Davis Division Of Pfizer Inc]

DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Updated Date: Mar 9, 2010 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))

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Winning from Boosting Good Cholesterol (RVXCF, RVX, PFE, AZN, MRK)

BioHealth Investor — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:13:34 +0100

BioHealthInvestor usually sticks to US companies or at least sticks to ADRs for investors. But sometimes there is a much larger bit of data either north of the border or in Europe. There is a company called Resverlogix Corp. which trades in Canada under the ticker ‘RVX’ and the stock also trades in the US on the Pink Sheets under the ticker ‘RVXCF.’ The stock is soaring today after Bloomberg gave a very positive article highlighting the merits of the company’s RVX-208. This potential drug candidate is targeting atherosclerosis in acute coronary syndrome patients. The target is to raise HDL levels to effectively reverse arterial plaque buildup. The company noted that there are approximately 350 million patients that require treatment for atheroscl...

A Pharmacogenetics-based Approach to Reduce Cardiovascular Mortality with the Prophylactic Use of Statins

Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is the main endothelial-derived relaxation factor and plays a major role in cardiovascular homeostasis. This key signalling molecule is synthesised by a family of nitric oxide synthases (NOS), and the endothelial isoform (eNOS) is the most important for nitric oxide formation in the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular drugs including statins increase eNOS expression and up-regulate NO formation, and this effect may be responsible for protective, pleiotropic effects produced by statins. However, the genetic background may also affect NO formation in the cardiovascular system, and recent studies have shown that genetic polymorphisms in the eNOS gene modify endogenous NO formation and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. For example, cases with the CC ...

CADUET (Amlodipine Besylate And Atorvastatin Calcium) Tablet, Film Coated [Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc]

DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Updated Date: Mar 2, 2010 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))

Comparative study of low doses of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin on lipid and glycemic control in patients with metabolic syndrome and hypercholesterolemia.

The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Rosuvastatin 10 mg was more effective than atorvastatin 10 mg in achieving NCEP ATP III LDL-C goals in patients with nondiabetic metabolic syndrome, especially in those with lower NCEP ATP III target level goals. PMID: 20195400 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine)

Exploring new indications for statins beyond atherosclerosis: Successes and setbacks.

Journal of Cardiology — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, although statins are effective, established therapy for the prevention of vascular events in patients at risk, they have as yet not proven to be successful for these newer indications. PMID: 20206067 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Journal of Cardiology)

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[Effects of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction on blood lipid metabolism and its related gene expressions in rats with hyperlipidemia.]

Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao : Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine. — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: HJD can activate the activity of lipid metabolism enzyme, and enhance the expressions of LDLR and PPARgamma mRNAs to modulate the lipid metabolic disorders in rats with hyperlipidemia. PMID: 20226151 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao : Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine.)

Diabetics need to take care with other drugs

L.A. Times - Health — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:04:24 +0100

Q: My mother has Type 2 diabetes and has had a terrible time controlling her blood sugar, even taking metformin and Actos. I suspect that the risperidone and Lipitor she takes might be making this harder. (Source: L.A. Times - Health)

Med Sci Monit 2010; 16(3):LE3-3 "Atorvastatin attenuates oxidative stress in patients with chronic kidney disease"

Medical Science Monitor — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:37:00 +0100

(Source: Medical Science Monitor)

Atorvastatin-induced modulation of monocyte respiratory burst in vivo in patients with IgA nephropathy: a chronic inflammatory kidney disease.

Clinical Nephrology — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:00:24 +0100

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates a higher monocyte respiratory burst in patients with IgAN compared to in cells from healthy controls as well as a significant reduction of this parameter after short time and low dose atorvastatin treatment. PMID: 20178722 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Clinical Nephrology)

Atorvastatin Induces Apoptosis In Vitro and Slows Growth of Tumor Xenografts but Not Polyp Formation in Min Mice

Digestive Diseases and Sciences — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:46:27 +0100

Conclusions Atorvastatin can induce apoptosis in vitro, through mevalonate and prenylation pathways. Atorvastatin, while not effective in preventing polyp formation in the min mouse model, was very effective in slowing tumor growth in a nude mouse model. Consistent with in vitro findings, increased apoptosis accounted for decreased tumor growth. Statins may have benefit in cancer by slowing tumor growth, rather than preventing tumor initiation. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticleDOI 10.1007/s10620-010-1157-xAuthors Emina H. Huang, University of Florida Department of Surgery Gainesville FL USALaura A. Johnson, University of Michigan Department of Internal Medicine Ann Arbor MI USAKathryn Eaton, University of Michigan Department of Comparative Patho...

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CADUET (Amlodipine Besylate And Atorvastatin Calcium) Tablet, Film Coated [Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc]

DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Updated Date: Feb 25, 2010 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))

LIPITOR (Atorvastatin Calcium) Tablet, Film Coated [Parke-Davis Division Of Pfizer Inc]

DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Updated Date: Feb 25, 2010 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))

Antibodies to Platelet Factor 4-Heparin Complex and Outcome in Hemodialysis Patients with Diabetes.

Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: In hemodialysis patients who have type 2 diabetes and are treated with acetylsalicylic acid, PF4-H-ABs are associated with sudden and all-cause death. Further studies are needed to elucidate this association. PMID: 20185595 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN)

Effects of atorvastatin and n-3 fatty acid supplementation on VLDL apolipoprotein C-III kinetics in men with abdominal obesity.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: In obesity, the triglyceride-lowering effect of atorvastatin, but not fish oils, is associated with increased VLDL apo C-III fractional catabolism and hence lower VLDL apo C-III concentrations. Combination treatment provided no significant additional improvement in VLDL apo C-III metabolism compared with atorvastatin alone. PMID: 20181806 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

Combined hyperlipidemia in patients with lysinuric protein intolerance

Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:10:54 +0100

Conclusion Serum cholesterol and triglyceride values are markedly elevated in LPI patients. Although the mechanism of combined hyperlipidemia remains unknown and is not explained by fat consumption, hyperlipidemia is clearly progressive with age, suggesting that starting statin therapy early is probably beneficial. Statins are well-tolerated and efficacious in LPI. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Research ReportDOI 10.1007/s10545-010-9050-5Authors Laura M. Tanner, University of Turku Department of Pediatrics Turku FinlandHarri Niinikoski, University of Turku Department of Pediatrics Turku FinlandKirsti Näntö-Salonen, University of Turku Department of Pediatrics Turku FinlandOlli Simell, University of Turku Department of Pediatrics Turku Finland Journal...

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Influence of co-existing atrial fibrillation on the efficacy of atorvastatin treatment in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: a pilot study

Lipids in Health and Disease — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: In patients with DCM and co-existing AF, a weaker effect of atorvastatin concerning the reduction of IL-6 and NT-proBNP concentration was observed than in patients without atrial fibrillation. (ClinialTrial.gov No.: NCT01015144) (Source: Lipids in Health and Disease)

Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Low-Dose Pitavastatin Versus Atorvastatin in Patients with Hypercholesterolemia (March).

The Annals of Pharmacotherapy — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Although pitavastatin 1 mg daily was not as effective at lowering LDL-C and TC levels as atorvastatin 10 mg daily, the number of patients achieving their LDL-C goals with pitavastatin was comparable with the number using atorvastatin. Pitavastatin 1 mg once daily may be an alternative regimen with cost-saving benefits but without a significant decrease in therapeutic benefit or increase in adverse events in patients with hypercholesterolemia. PMID: 20179259 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The Annals of Pharmacotherapy)

Pitavastatin: A New HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor(March) (CE).

The Annals of Pharmacotherapy — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: In light of the lack of outcome data, pitavastatin offers no clear advantage over other drugs in this class. PMID: 20179258 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The Annals of Pharmacotherapy)

Identification and Assessment of Plasma Lysozyme as a Putative Biomarker of Atherosclerosis.

Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Increased plasma lysozyme levels may be a useful biomarker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and response to therapy. Additional studies to investigate this are warranted. Surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used successfully to screen for plasma biomarkers of atheroma in patients with coronary artery disease and led to the identification of lysozyme as a candidate. The elevation of lysozyme was shown to be associated with disease severity in patients with atherosclerosis. PMID: 20167661 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology)

Atorvastatin-Induced Prolonged Cholestasis with Bile Duct Damage

Clinical Drug Investigation — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:10:10 +0100

(Source: Clinical Drug Investigation)

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Whistleblower charges Pfizer with unlawfully marketing Lipitor

Cardiovascular Business News — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:05:06 +0100

An amended whistleblower suit alleges that pharmaceutical company Pfizer unlawfully marketed Lipitor to the public for more than seven years and deliberately misrepresented U.S. guidelines, including those issued by the National Institutes of Health. (Source: Cardiovascular Business News)

Statins potently reduce the cytokine-mediated IL-6 release in SMC / MNC cocultures.

J Cell Mol Med — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Loppnow H, Zhang L, Buerke M, Lautenschläger M, Chen L, Frister A, Schlitt A, Luther T, Song N, Hofmann B, Rose-John S, Silber RE, Müller-Werdan U, Werdan K Inflammatory pathways are involved in the developement of atherosclerosis. Interaction of vessel wall cells and invading monocytes by cytokines may trigger local inflammatory processes. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are a standard medication used in cardiovascular diseases. They are thought to have anti-inflammatory capacities, in addition to their lipid-lowering effects. We investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of statins in the cytokine-mediated-interaction-model of human vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) and human mononuclear cells (MNC). In this atherosclerosis-related inflammatory model LPS (li...

Mechanism of the inhibitory effect of atorvastatin on endoglin expression induced by transforming growth factor-{beta}1 in cultured cardiac fibroblasts

European Journal of Heart Failure — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:51:48 +0100

Conclusion Atorvastatin inhibits endoglin expression through the inhibition of PI-3 kinase, Akt, and Smad3 phosphorylation, and reduced Smad3/4 binding activity and endoglin promoter activity in cardiac fibroblasts. (Source: European Journal of Heart Failure)

Safety and tolerability of dalcetrapib (RO4607381/JTT-705): results from a 48-week trial

European Heart Journal — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 08:06:03 +0100

Conclusion Dalcetrapib 900 mg administered for up to 48 weeks showed no clinically relevant changes in lymph nodes, BP, or other safety parameters. Dalcetrapib effectively increased HDL-C over 48 weeks of treatment. (Source: European Heart Journal)

Fibrate/statin Initiation in Warfarin Users Ups Risk of GI Bleeding

Medscape Medical News Headlines — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:14:12 +0100

Initiation of a fibrate or statin that inhibits CYP3A4 enzymes -- including fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, fluvastatin, simvastatin, and atorvastatin -- increases the risk of hospitalization for GI bleeding in chronic warfarin users, according to a report in the February issue of the American Journal of Medicine. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)

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Former Exec Sues Pfizer Over Lipitor Marketing

Drugs.com - Pharma News — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:03:59 +0100

: Whistleblower Suit Alleges Promotion For unapproved uses [The Day, New London, Conn.] From Day, The (New London, CT) (February 12, 2010) Feb. 12--Pfizer Inc., which paid out a record $2.3 billion... (Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News)

Relationships Between Metabolic Syndrome and Other Baseline Factors and the Efficacy of Ezetimibe/Simvastatin and Atorvastatin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Hypercholesterolemia.

Diabetes Care — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions- Treatment-responses in type 2 diabetes patients were related to baseline factors, though treatment-effects (ezetimibe/simvastatin>atorvastatin) remained consistent. The presence of predictive factors should be considered in planning lipid-altering therapy. PMID: 20150290 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Diabetes Care)

Comparison Of The Effects Of Atorvastatin And Simvastatin In Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Prospective, Randomized Study

Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:14:11 +0100

Exp Clin Endocrinol DiabetesDOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1220770AbstractPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance (IR), and chronic inflammation. Simvastatin improves endocrine/clinical aspects of PCOS and decreases systemic inflammation in PCOS. There have been no comparative studies carried out regarding the effects of different statin treatment in PCOS. We aimed to assess the effects of two different statin treatments on various metabolic, endocrine, oxidative and inflammatory factors in PCOS.[...]© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New YorkGet connected:Table of contents | Abstract | Full text (Source: Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes)

Health News of the Day

Clinical Cases and Images — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:01:00 +0100

is a daily summary made from the selected links I post on Twitter. It is in bullet-point format with links to the original sources which include 350 RSS feeds that produce about 2,500 items per day: Spending on health care in US is 17.3% of GDP, up from 16.2% in 2008 - largest percentage increase in 5 decades http://goo.gl/IZE4 People who drank 2 or more soft drinks a week had an 87% increased risk of pancreatic cancer http://goo.gl/DcXd Thirdhand Smoke (tobacco smoke residue) Creates Indoor Cancer Risk. Nicotine reacts with indoor air pollutant to form carcinogenic compounds called tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) http://bit.ly/cRpb4r Mediterranean diet may help prevent dementia - CNN http://bit.ly/a9lGLb Latrepirdine (Dimebon) - oral medication developed for Alzheimer's - may ...

Belgian analysis finds atorvastatin cost saving in T2DM patients

PharmacoEconomics and Outcomes News — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:10:21 +0100

(Source: PharmacoEconomics and Outcomes News)

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Addition of omega-3 fatty acids to atorvastatin improves lipid levels

MedWire News - Lipidology — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:04:34 +0100

Taking prescription omega-3-acid ethyl esters plus atorvastatin improves lipid levels to a significantly greater extent than atorvastatin plus placebo, report researchers. (Source: MedWire News - Lipidology)

Atorvastatin cuts CHD risk in stroke patients

MedWire News - Stroke — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:49:46 +0100

Further results from the SPARCL trial show that stroke patients given atorvastatin have a reduced risk for coronary heart disease events, as well as recurrent stroke. (Source: MedWire News - Stroke)

Atorvastatin cuts CHD risk in stroke patients

MedWire News - Cardiology — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:56:22 +0100

Further results from the SPARCL trial show that stroke patients given atorvastatin have a reduced risk for coronary heart disease events, as well as recurrent stroke. (Source: MedWire News - Cardiology)

Statin-induced autophagy by inhibition of geranylgeranyl biosynthesis in prostate cancer PC3 cells

The Prostate — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Autophagy is a cellular process of degradation of macromolecules and organelles and activated under nutritional stress. Statins are a class of inhibitors of 3-hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, a key enzyme in synthesis of cholesterol. Epidemiological studies have shown that statin use decreases the incidence of advanced prostate cancer. We explored the idea that treatment of atorvastatin, a commonly prescribed statin for treatment of hypercholesterolemia, induces autophagy in prostate cancer cells.The atorvastatin-induced autophagic process in prostate cancer PC3 cells was determined by detection of cellular level of LC3-II, an autophagosomal marker, via immunoblotting and immunofluorescent staining.Atorvastatin treatment of PC3 cells for 40 hrs increased expression...

Pfizer’s Q4, FY09 sees uptick

Cardiovascular Business News — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:14:35 +0100

Pfizer has reported positive financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2009, recording only a slight uptick for Lipitor. (Source: Cardiovascular Business News)

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Discovery of safety biomarkers for atorvastatin in rat urine using mass spectrometry based metabolomics combined with global and targeted approach.

Analytica Chimica Acta — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:09:15 +0100

Authors: Kumar BS, Lee YJ, Yi HJ, Chung BC, Jung BH In order to develop a safety biomarker for atorvastatin, this drug was orally administrated to hyperlipidemic rats, and a metabolomic study was performed. Atorvastatin was given in doses of either 70 mg kg(-1) day(-1) or 250 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for a period of 7 days (n=4 for each group). To evaluate any abnormal effects of the drug, physiological and plasma biochemical parameters were measured and histopathological tests were carried out. Safety biomarkers were derived by comparing these parameters and using both global and targeted metabolic profiling. Global metabolic profiling was performed using liquid chromatography/time of flight/mass spectrometry (LC/TOF/MS) with multivariate data analysis. Several safety biomarker candidates th...

Impact of reimbursement changes on statin use among patients with diabetes in Austria.

Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative evaluation of new policies can provide important insights into the effectiveness und utility of such changes. PMID: 20213375 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift)

Atorvastatin increases blood ratios of vitamin E/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and coenzyme Q10/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic patients

Nutrition Research — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract: Statins are among the most widely used drugs in the management of hypercholesterolemia. In addition to inhibiting endogenous cholesterol synthesis, however, statins decrease coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) synthesis. CoQ10 has been reported to have antioxidant properties, and administration of drugs that decrease CoQ10 synthesis might lead to increased oxidative stress in vivo. Our present study examined the hypothesis that atorvastatin increased oxidative stress in hypercholesterolemic patients due to its inhibition of CoQ10 synthesis. We investigated the effects of atorvastatin (10 mg/d) administration for 5 months on lowering hypercholesterolemia and blood antioxidant status. The study population included 19 hypercholesterolemic outpatients. Blood levels of lipid and antioxidant markers,...

Effects of Prescription Omega-3-Acid Ethyl Esters on Non--High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol When Coadministered With Escalating Doses of Atorvastatin

Mayo Clinic Proceedings — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:03:11 +0100

CONCLUSION: Prescription omega-3-acid ethyl esters plus atorvastatin produced significant improvements in non—HDL-C and other lipid parameters in patients with elevated non—HDL-C and triglyceride levels. (Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings)

Atorvastatin decreases serum levels of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients with dyslipidemia: clinical usefulness of AGEs as a biomarker for the attenuation of NASH

Journal of Gastroenterology — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:16:01 +0100

Conclusions The present data demonstrated that atorvastatin decreased the serum levels of AGEs in NASH patients with dyslipidemia and suggest the usefulness of AGEs as a biomarker for the attenuation of NASH. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original Article—Liver, Pancreas, and Biliary TractDOI 10.1007/s00535-010-0203-yAuthors Yuki Kimura, Hiroshima University Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minamiku Hiroshima 734-8551 JapanHideyuki Hyogo, Hiroshima University Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minamiku Hiroshima 734-8551 JapanSho-ichi Yamagishi, Kurume University School of Medicine Department of Pathophysiology and Therapeutics of D...

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In Hyperlipemic Elderly, Ezetimibe/atorvastatin Better Than High-Dose Atorvastatin

Medscape Pharmacist Headlines — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:32:26 +0100

In patients 65 and older with a high risk of coronary heart disease, adding ezetimibe to atorvastatin reduced most lipids significantly more than did doubling or even quadrupling the atorvastatin dose, U.S. and Canadian researchers report online in the American Journal of Cardiology. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Pharmacist Headlines)

Atorvastatin/fluvastatin: Liver injury and autoimmune hepatitis: 2 case reports

Reactions — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:05:47 +0100

(Source: Reactions)

Effects of statins vs. non-statin lipid-lowering therapy on bone formation and bone mineral density biomarkers in patients with hyperlipidemia

Bone — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The lipophilic statin as moderate to high dose of simvastatin had beneficial positive effect to increasing BMD and could be additive use for prevention of bone loss in hyperlipidemia patients. (Source: Bone)

Fibrate/Statin Initiation in Warfarin Users and Gastrointestinal Bleeding Risk

The American Journal of Medicine — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:28:51 +0100

Conclusions: Initiation of a fibrate or statin that inhibits CYP3A4 enzymes, including atorvastatin, was associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for gastrointestinal bleeding. Initiation of pravastatin, which is mainly excreted unchanged, was not associated with an increased risk. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)

Atorvastatin Modulates Matrix Metalloproteinase Expression, Activity, and Signaling in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Vascular and Endovascular Surgery — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:05:08 +0100

Statins may reduce abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) progression. We sought to measure how atorvastatin (AT) treatment might modulate matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression and/or activity in human AAA. Tissue from human AAAs at surgical repair was obtained from patients who were either not on statins (NST, n = 19) or treated with AT (n = 19). Immunoblots measured expression and zymography measured activity. Expression of most proteins was greater in the central compared with distal AAA region. Matrix metalloproteinase 1, MMP2, MMP3, MMP9, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase (TIMP2), TIMP3, TIMP4, or total Sma Mothers Against Decapentaplegia (SMAD2) expression did not differ with treatment. There was a trend toward reduced MMP8 and TIMP1 expression and MMP2 zymographic activity in the A...

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Optimizing statin treatment for primary prevention of coronary artery disease.

Annals of Internal Medicine — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: A tailored treatment strategy prevents more CAD events while treating fewer persons with high-dose statins than low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-based target approaches. Results were robust, even with assumptions favoring a treat-to-target approach. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Department of Veteran Affairs Health Services Research & Development Service's Quality Enhancement Research Initiative. PMID: 20083825 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Internal Medicine)

Efficacy of Atorvastatin Reload in Patients on Chronic Statin Therapy Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Current Atherosclerosis Reports — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:25:19 +0100

Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Clinical Trial ReportDOI 10.1007/s11883-009-0083-xAuthors Michael Clearfield, Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine 1310 Johnson Lane, Mare Island Vallejo CA 94592 USA Journal Current Atherosclerosis ReportsOnline ISSN 1534-6242Print ISSN 1523-3804 (Source: Current Atherosclerosis Reports)

ZETELD results show efficacy of atorvastatin plus ezetimibe in elderly

MedWire News - Lipidology — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Addition of ezetimibe to low-dose atorvastatin improves the lipid profile of elderly individuals at high risk for coronary heart disease to a significantly greater extent than increasing the dose of atorvastatin, report researchers. (Source: MedWire News - Lipidology)

Fenofibrate treatment increases human serum proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 levels [Research Articles]

The Journal of Lipid Research — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:23:49 +0100

Over the past several years, proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has gained significant attention as a key regulator of serum LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. In humans, gain-of-function mutations in PCSK9 cause a form of familial hypercholesterolemia, whereas loss-of-function mutations result in significantly decreased LDL-C and cardiovascular risk. Our laboratory was the first to demonstrate that atorvastatin increases PCSK9 serum levels, an observation that has since been confirmed by at least two other groups. In light of these observations, we studied the effect of another common lipid-lowering medication, fenofibrate, on circulating PCSK9 protein levels in patients treated with fenofibrate or placebo for 12 weeks. We observed that fenofibrate (200 mg per day) signifi...

Cost Effectiveness of Atorvastatin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of the Collaborative Atorvastatin Diabetes Study in the Belgian Population

Clinical Drug Investigation — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:07:02 +0100

(Source: Clinical Drug Investigation)

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Noninferiority of Pitavastatin in Intravascular Ultrasound Findings

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:52:19 +0100

We read with interest the paper by Hiro et al. () comparing the regressive effect of pitavastatin on coronary plaque volume in acute coronary syndrome patients with that of atorvastatin using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). The authors demonstrated that the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval of the difference in the mean percentage of change in plaque volume between the 2 groups (mean 1.11%, 95% confidence interval: −2.27% to 4.48%) did not exceed the pre-defined noninferiority margin of 5% and concluded that the noninferiority of pitavastatin compared with atorvastatin. (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

Reply

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:52:19 +0100

First, we express our deep appreciation for the sincere criticism by Dr. Kaneda and colleagues of our paper (). However, we have a few concerns regarding their arguments. The REVERSAL (REVERSing Atherosclerosis with Aggressive Lipid Lowering) study () examined patients with stable coronary artery disease who could undergo an elective cardiac catheterization, whereas the PROVE-IT–TIMI 22 (Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy–Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 22) () and our JAPAN-ACS (Japan Assessment of Pitavastatin and Atorvastatin in Acute Coronary Syndrome) study examined patients with acute coronary syndrome. Several reports have been published that nonculprit plaque differs in tissue characteristics between acute coronary syndrome and stable coronary ar...

A Randomized Clinical Trial to Assess the Effect of Statins on Skeletal Muscle Function and Performance: Rationale and Study Design

Preventive Cardiology — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This study will determine the effect of statins on skeletal muscle strength, endurance, and aerobic exercise performance and may ultimately help clinicians better evaluate statin-related muscle and exercise complaints. (Source: Preventive Cardiology)

Influence of SCARB1 polymorphisms on serum lipids of hypercholesterolemic individuals treated with atorvastatin.

International Journal of Clinical Chemistry — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: The SCARB1 polymorphisms are related with variations in serum lipids in Brazilian population and c.1050C>T SNP is associated with lipid-lowering atorvastatin response. PMID: 20064494 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: International Journal of Clinical Chemistry)

Journal Scan: Novel Approaches for Preventing or Limiting Events (Naples) II Trial: Impact of a Single High Loading Dose of Atorvastatin on Periprocedural Myocardial Infarction (J Am Coll Cardiol 2009;54:2157-2163.)

Cardiosource — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:51:43 +0100

The day before the elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), 668 statin-naive patients were randomly assigned to atorvastatin 80 mg (atorvastatin group; n = 338) or no statin treatment (control group; n = 330). Creatine kinase-myocardial isoenzyme (CK-MB) (upper limit of normal [ULN] 3.5 ng. . . (Source: Cardiosource)

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UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) polymorphisms affect atorvastatin lactonization in vitro and in vivo.

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Riedmaier S, Klein K, Hofmann U, Keskitalo JE, Neuvonen PJ, Schwab M, Niemi M, Zanger UM The response to statins shows large interpatient variability. Atorvastatin delta-lactone is pharmacologically inactive but has been associated with toxicity. We investigated the role of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) in atorvastatin lactonization. In human liver microsomes, lactonization was correlated with UGT1A3 (r(s) = 0.61, P < 0.0001) but not with UGT1A1. Surprisingly, lactone formation was significantly higher in carriers of UGT1A1*28, an allele that is associated with lower UGT1A1 expression. We show that this inverse correlation is due to extensive linkage disequilibrium in the UGT1A locus and that several UGT1A3 haplotypes are associated with strong increases in UGT1A3 exp...

The Management of Diabetic Neuropathy in CKD

American Journal of Kidney Diseases — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A 64-year-old man with a 15-year history of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and a 10-year history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia had developed multiple diabetes-related complications within the last 5 years. He first developed albuminuria 5 years ago, and during the next several years, he experienced a fairly rapid decrease in kidney function, with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 55 mL/min/1.73 m2 noted 2 years ago. Proliferative retinopathy was diagnosed 5 years ago, and he underwent laser photocoagulation. Four years ago, he noted symptoms of peripheral neuropathy manifested as shooting pain and numbness with loss of light touch, thermal, and vibratory sensation in a stocking distribution. Last year, he developed a nonhealing ulcer on the plantar aspect of his left foot ...

Treatment of symptomatic HyperLp(a)lipoproteinemia with LDL-apheresis: a multicentre study.

Atherosclerosis. Supplements. — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Stefanutti C, D'Alessandri G, Russi G, De Silvestro G, Zenti MG, Marson P, Belotherkovsky D, Vivenzio A, Di Giacomo S LDL-apheresis (LDLa) efficacy in the treatment of symptomatic HyperLp(a)lipoproteinemia -HyperLp(a)- has been studied in a multicentre trial. After 3.1+/-2.7 years of weekly and biweekly treatment, the data from 19 patients (males:12; females:7; aged 53.8+/-9.3 years; mean body mass index: 24.6+/-2.3 Kg/m(2)) were evaluated. Data were collected using the same questionnaire shared by 5 participating centres. A total of 2331 procedures were performed. A mean of 3593.7+/-800.3 ml of plasma or 8115.3+/-2150.1 ml of blood, depending upon the technique used (H.E.L.P., D.A.LI., Dextransulphate, Lipocollect 200), was regularly treated on average every 10.1+/-2.6 days. ...

Safety and Efficacy of Ezetimibe Added to Atorvastatin Versus Up Titration of Atorvastatin to 40 mg in Patients ≥65 Years of Age (from the ZETia in the ELDerly [ZETELD] Study)

The American Journal of Cardiology — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Few clinical studies have focused on the efficacy of lipid-lowering therapies in patients ≥65 years of age. The percentage of change from baseline in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and the percentage of patients achieving prespecified LDL cholesterol levels after 12 weeks of ezetimibe 10 mg plus atorvastatin versus up titration of atorvastatin were assessed in subjects ≥65 years old with hyperlipidemia and at high risk of coronary heart disease. After stabilization of atorvastatin 10-mg therapy, 1,053 patients, ≥65 years old, at high risk of coronary heart disease, with and without atherosclerotic vascular disease and a LDL cholesterol level that was not (Source: The American Journal of Cardiology)

CAS enhances statin effects on contralateral plaque stability in bilateral carotid stenosis

MedWire News - Lipidology — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:11:20 +0100

Ipsilateral carotid artery stenting combined with intensive atorvastatin therapy is associated with enhanced contralateral plaque stability compared with atorvastatin therapy alone in patients with bilateral carotid stenosis, a Greek study has found. (Source: MedWire News - Lipidology)

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Meta-analysis of Comparative Efficacy of Increasing Dose of Atorvastatin Versus Rosuvastatin Versus Simvastatin on Lowering Levels of Atherogenic Lipids (from VOYAGER)

The American Journal of Cardiology — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:51:29 +0100

Statins are the most commonly prescribed agents for lowering levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Although dose-dependent reductions in levels of atherogenic lipids are observed with all statins, the impact of increasing dose has not been fully elucidated. An individual patient data pooled analysis was performed of 32,258 patients in studies comparing the efficacy of rosuvastatin with that of atorvastatin or simvastatin. The impact of increasing dose on lowering LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B was investigated. Doubling the dose of each statin was accompanied by a 4% to 7% greater degree of lowering of all atherogenic lipids. A stronger correlation was observed between changes in LDL cholesterol and non-HD...

Meta-analysis: Heart failure benefits of different statins

NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Source: Am J Cardiology Area: News A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomised trials featured in the American Journal of Cardiology has found that different statins have different effects on heart failure(HF). The researchers searched CENTRAL, mRCT, and PubMed for eligible studies that prospectively randomised patients with HF to statins or placebo. Primary end points were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, hospitalisation for worsening HF, adverse drug events, and changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Data was pooled using the random effects model with summary effect estimates (95% confidence intervals). Ten studies (10,192 patients; mean age 69 years; 78% male) with follow-up from 3 to 47 months met the inclusion criteria. Three tr...

Comparison of 80 versus 10 mg of Atorvastatin on Occurrence of Cardiovascular Events After the First Event (from the Treating to New Targets [TNT] Trial)

The American Journal of Cardiology — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, treatment with atorvastatin 80 mg continued to significantly decrease the risk of any cardiovascular event over time compared to atorvastatin 10 mg in patients who had survived previous events. In TNT, analyses limited to the primary end point significantly underestimated the decrease in total cardiovascular disease burden achieved by intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering. (Source: The American Journal of Cardiology)

Pitavastatin helps maintain LDL-C reductions for up to a year

MedWire News - Lipidology — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:18:03 +0100

Pitavastatin is generally well tolerated and efficacious for up to a year in patients with hypercholesterolemia or combined dyslipidemia who have previously received treatment with pitvastatin, atorvastatin, or simvastatin, an extension study of 52 weeks shows. (Source: MedWire News - Lipidology)

Atorvastatin improves insulin sensitivity in mice with obesity induced by monosodium glutamate.

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion:Atorvastatin is a potential candidate for the prevention and therapy of diseases associated with insulin resistance such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. One possible mechanism underlying the effects of atorvastatin on glucose and lipid metabolism may be to ameliorate a state of chronic inflammation. PMID: 20023693 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Acta Pharmacologica Sinica)

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Usefulness of Atorvastatin (80 mg) in Prevention of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients With Chronic Renal Disease

The American Journal of Cardiology — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

We investigated the efficacy of short-term high-dose atorvastatin in decreasing the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) subjected to coronary angiography and/or angioplasty. CIN occurs in up to 15% of patients with pre-existing CKD and affects clinical outcome. The protective effect of statin therapy against CIN is still controversial. A prospective, single-center study of 304 patients with baseline estimated creatinine clearance (Source: The American Journal of Cardiology)

EGFR Signaling Through an Akt-SREBP-1-Dependent, Rapamycin-Resistant Pathway Sensitizes Glioblastomas to Antilipogenic Therapy.

Science Signaling — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:46:02 +0100

Authors: Guo D, Prins RM, Dang J, Kuga D, Iwanami A, Soto H, Lin KY, Huang TT, Akhavan D, Hock MB, Zhu S, Kofman AA, Bensinger SJ, Yong WH, Vinters HV, Horvath S, Watson AD, Kuhn JG, Robins HI, Mehta MP, Wen PY, Deangelis LM, Prados MD, Mellinghoff IK, Cloughesy TF, Mischel PS Glioblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor, is among the most lethal and difficult cancers to treat. Although epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are frequent in glioblastoma, their clinical relevance is poorly understood. Studies of tumors from patients treated with the EGFR inhibitor lapatinib revealed that EGFR induces the cleavage and nuclear translocation of the master transcriptional regulator of fatty acid synthesis, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1). This respons...

Assessment of arterial stiffness affected by atorvastatin in coronary artery disease using pulse wave velocity.

Clinical and Investigative Medicine — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:54:03 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that atorvastatin can improve arterial stiffness in CAD patients independent of its lipid-lowering properties. PMID: 20003828 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Clinical and Investigative Medicine)

IDEAL trial shows persistent protection with high-dose atorvastatin

MedWire News - Lipidology — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:21:03 +0100

Patients receiving intensive statin therapy should continue to do so even if they experience a cardiovascular event, say researchers who found the additional protective effect of a high versus standard statin dose persists through multiple events. (Source: MedWire News - Lipidology)

CVN: Heart Minute

Cardiosource — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Atorvastatin Reduces MI in PCI (Source: Cardiosource)

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Comparison of the efficacy of administering a combination of ezetimibe plus fenofibrate versus atorvastatin monotherapy in the treatment of dyslipidemia

Lipids in Health and Disease — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The combination of ezetimibe plus fenofibrate appeared to produce nearly identical alterations in serum lipoprotein levels when compared to monotherapy with 10mg of atorvastatin. Daily treatment with the combination of ezetimibe plus fenofibrate is an acceptable alternative to atorvastatin for the treatment of dyslipidemia in patients who are intolerant of statins. (Source: Lipids in Health and Disease)

Adolescent type 1 Diabetes cardio-renal Intervention Trial (AdDIT)

BMC Pediatrics - Latest articles — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

DiscussionAdDIT will provide important data on the potential renal and cardiovascular protective effects of ACEI and statins in high-risk adolescents. Long-term follow-up of the randomized subjects will provide direct evidence of disease outcomes, in addition to the data on early surrogate measures of DN and CVD. Follow up of non-randomized low-risk subjects will determine the potential impact of intervention on DN and CVD. AdDIT will help to determine whether, in addition to encouraging young people to achieve good glycaemic control, pharmacological cardio-renal protection should also be implemented.EudraCT Number: 2007-001039-72Trial Registration Number: ISRCTN91419926 (Source: BMC Pediatrics - Latest articles)

Total Cardiovascular Disease Burden: Comparing Intensive With Moderate Statin Therapy: Insights From the IDEAL (Incremental Decrease in End Points Through Aggressive Lipid Lowering) Trial

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our results indicate that intensive statin therapy continues to be more effective than standard statin therapy, even beyond the first event, and suggest that clinicians should not hesitate to prescribe high-dose statin therapy for patients experiencing multiple recurrent cardiovascular events. (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

Reduction in Recurrent Cardiovascular Events With Intensive Lipid-Lowering Statin Therapy Compared With Moderate Lipid-Lowering Statin Therapy After Acute Coronary Syndromes: From the PROVE IT–TIMI 22 (Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy–Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 22) Trial

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Although analytic techniques commonly used in clinical outcomes trials censor patients who experience a component of the primary composite end point, total cardiovascular events are important to patients, clinicians, and health care payers. Maintaining low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is central to preventing additional atherosclerotic development and subsequent cardiovascular events. Atorvastatin 80 mg, a more intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering agent, reduced both first and subsequent primary end point events compared with pravastatin 40 mg after ACS. (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

Cardiovascular Outcomes in Randomized Trials: Should Time to First Event for “Hard” End Points Remain the Standard Approach?⁎

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This issue of the Journal contains 2 papers that provide interesting insights from 2 large randomized lipid-lowering trials that addressed relatively similar scientific questions. In the PROVE IT–TIMI 22 (Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy–Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 22) trial, investigators compared atorvastatin (80 mg) with pravastatin (40 mg) for patients randomly assigned to treatment after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (). In the IDEAL (Incremental Decrease in End Points Through Aggressive Lipid Lowering) trial (), the 80-mg dosage of atorvastatin was compared with 20 to 40 mg of simvastatin in patients with a prior myocardial infarction (MI). Both studies were performed well and contributed significantly to the contemporary understanding of ...

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SWiss Atorvastatin and Interferon Beta-1b Trial In Multiple Sclerosis (SWABIMS) - rationale, design and methodology

Trials — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

DiscussionSWABIMS is designed to give further information about the therapeutic effect of atorvastatin 40mg per os daily as add-on therapy to interferon beta-1b in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Furthermore important safety and tolerability data will be generated.Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT00942591; Swissmedic reference number: 2005DR2119 (Source: Trials)

Journal Scan: Reduction in Recurrent Cardiovascular Events With Intensive Lipid-Lowering Statin Therapy Compared With Moderate Lipid-Lowering Statin Therapy After Acute Coronary Syndromes: From the PROVE IT-TIMI 22 (Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 22) Trial (J Am Coll Cardiol 2009;54:2358-2362.)

Cardiosource — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:49:03 +0100

This is a post-hoc analysis of the PROVE IT-TIMI 22 trial. Poisson regression analysis was performed to compare the number of occurrences of the primary endpoint between high-dose atorvastatin and pravastatin in the PROVE IT-TIMI 22 trial. (Source: Cardiosource)

The benefits of statins in people without established cardiovascular disease but with cardiovascular risk factors: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

NeLM - Cerebrovascular Disorders — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Source: DARE Area: Evidence > Disease Focused Reviews CRD Summary: This generally well-conducted review concluded that statin use in patients without established cardiovascular disease, but with cardiovascular risk factors, was associated with significantly improved survival and large reductions in the risk of major cardiovascular events. This conclusion reflected the results of an appropriate synthesis of large, high-quality trials and is likely to be reliable. [Included studies used pravastatin, lovastatin, atorvastatin, simvastatin or rosuvastatin.] CRD Commentary: The review question was clear and supported by specific inclusion criteria. The authors searched several relevant databases and this reduced their chances of omitting relevant studies. No systematic attempts to locate un...

Montelukast Inhibits Matrix Metalloproteinases Expression in Atherosclerotic Rabbits

Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:12:34 +0100

Conclusion These data indicate that montelukast inhibits neointimal hyperplasia in association with decreased expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 independent of plasma lipid levels in atherosclerotic plaques after vascular injury in hyperlipidemic rabbits. Content Type Journal ArticleDOI 10.1007/s10557-009-6211-6Authors Dezhi Liu, Nanjing University School of Medicine Department of Neurology, Jinling Hospital 305# East Zhongshan Road Nanjing 210002 Jiangsu Province People’s Republic of ChinaSong Ge, Nanjing University School of Medicine Department of Neurology, Jinling Hospital 305# East Zhongshan Road Nanjing 210002 Jiangsu Province People’s Republic of ChinaGuangyi Zhou, Nanjing University School of Medicine Department of Neurology, Jinling Hospital 305# East Zhongshan...

Beneficial Changes of Serum Calcification Markers and Contralateral Carotid Plaques Echogenicity after Combined Carotid Artery Stenting Plus Intensive Lipid-lowering Therapy in Patients with Bilateral Carotid Stenosis

European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract: Objectives/design: In symptomatic patients treated with ipsilateral carotid artery stenting (CAS) plus intensive lipid lowering, we assessed the changes of osteopontin (OPN), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and the Gray-Scale Median (GSM) score contralateral to symptomatic carotid stenosis.Materials/methods: Forty-six symptomatic patients (group A) with significant carotid stenosis (North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET): >70%) underwent ipsilateral CAS. Those patients had simultaneously contralateral low-grade carotid stenosis (NASCET: 30–69%). Group B included 67 symptomatic patients with low-grade bilateral carotid stenosis (NASCET: 30–69%), but without indications for revascularisation. All patients were treated with atorvastatin (10–80mg) to target low-...

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Von Willebrand disease, angiodysplasia and atorvastatin

British Journal of Haematology — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: British Journal of Haematology)

Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials of Statins Versus Placebo in Patients With Heart Failure

The American Journal of Cardiology — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:50:15 +0100

Although statins have been shown to improve outcomes in retrospective analyses of patients with heart failure (HF), recent randomized placebo-controlled trials have shown mixed results. The goal of this study was to systematically review randomized trials comparing statins to placebo for HF and compare the impact of different statins. CENTRAL, mRCT, and PubMed were searched for eligible studies that prospectively randomized patients with HF to statins or placebo. Primary end points were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, hospitalization for worsening HF, adverse drug events, and changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Pooling was performed with random effect methods with summary effect estimates (95% confidence intervals). Ten studies (10,192 patients) with follow...

Effect of Atorvastatin on Platelet Thromboxane A2 Synthesis in Aspirin-Treated Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

The American Journal of Cardiology — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:50:10 +0100

In conclusion, atorvastatin combined with aspirin early in the onset of the acute event significantly reduced persistent TXA2 and TXA2-dependent aspirin resistance. This could contribute to the clinical benefit of atorvastatin in patients with AMI. (Source: The American Journal of Cardiology)

Effect of Intensive Statin Therapy on Clinical Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute Coronary Syndrome: PCI-PROVE IT: A PROVE IT–TIMI 22 (Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy–Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 22) Substudy

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:48:57 +0100

Conclusions: Among patients with ACS who undergo PCI, intensive statin therapy reduces MACE compared with moderate-dose statin therapy. The reduction in the incidence of TVR was independent of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and C-reactive protein lowering and may therefore be due, at least in part, to a pleiotropic effect of high-dose statin therapy. (PROVE IT–TIMI 22; NCT00382460) (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

Warning: drug ads are harmful to your health

NaturalNews.com — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) If you watch TV or ever flip through a glossy magazine, you are bound to have seen ads conjured up by Big Pharma working with slick advertising agencies. As it turns out, what they are selling isn't necessarily health -- or the truth. They are pushing pills, even if they have to twist the facts a bit about what their drugs do, who needs them and why. Now a new study just published in the American Journal of Public Health concludes this prescription drug direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) carries significant risks for the public.Currently, some members of Congress, including Rep. Henry Waxman (D-California), are calling for stricter FDA regulations of DTCA because the ads can lead to inappropriate prescribing. They also portray what may be a non-medical problem (such as ove...

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Lipitor 10mg, 20mg, 40mg, 80mg tablets (atorvastatin) - Revised SPC

NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Source: eMC (electronic Medicines Compendium) Area: Other Library Updates > SPC Changes Update to section 4.4 (Special warnings and precautions for Use) regarding interstitial lung disease and addition of side effects in section 4.8. NB: On 3 November 2009, the MHRA issued additional safety information for this product. A Europe-wide review of clinical trial data, adverse drug reaction reports and published literature on statins has concluded that any of the following adverse reactions may be associated with statin use: sleep disturbances, memory loss, sexual dysfunction, depression and interstitial lung disease (leading to breathing problems). Product information for all statins will be updated with warnings on all of these side effects. (Source: NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine)

Atorvastatin Inhibits gp91phox Circulating Levels in Patients With Hypercholesterolemia.

Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that statins exert an antioxidant effect via inhibition of soluble gp91(phox) expression. PMID: 19965781 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology)

Is Initiation of Atorvastatin for Employees a Good Buy for Employers?

Mayo Clinic Proceedings — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:57:14 +0100

(Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings)

Cardiovascular and Economic Outcomes After Initiation of Lipid-Lowering Therapy With Atorvastatin vs Simvastatin in an Employed Population

Mayo Clinic Proceedings — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:57:14 +0100

CONCLUSION: In this study, treatment with atorvastatin compared with simvastatin was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular events, reduced indirect costs, and a minimal difference in total costs to employers. (Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings)

Efflux transporter-mediated interactions with atorvastatin--interesting findings with multiple substrates: istradefylline, verapamil, and rifampicin.

The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Srinivas NR PMID: 19955497 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology)

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What does the evidence tell us about treating very-high-risk patients to an LDL

The Journal of Family Practice — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Nelson C, Hitchcock K, Bohlen JA, Malaty W No studies directly compare low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels <70 mg/dL to levels of 71 to 100 mg/dL in very-high-risk patients. However, no evidence suggests a "floor" for LDL cholesterol levels beyond which further reductions of heart disease risk cannot be achieved. The target LDL cholesterol of <70 mg/dL is based on data extrapolated from RCTs. Comparing larger (80 mg) with smaller doses of atorvastatin shows that larger doses reduce LDL and major cardiac events more than smaller doses. No studies report patient-oriented outcomes of treatments for patients who fail to reach target LDL levels <100 mg/dL. PMID: 19961822 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Journal of Family Practice)

Omega-3 fatty acids and atorvastatin affect connexin 43 expression in the aorta of hereditary hypertriglyceridemic rats.

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Dlugosová K, Weismann P, Bernátová I, Sotníková R, Slezák J, Okruhlicová L Statins and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) reduce cardiovascular disease incidence during hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). To elucidate possible cardioprotective mechanisms, we focused on gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43). Its expression is disturbed during atherogenesis, but little information is available on its expression during HTG. Experiments were performed on adult male hereditary HTG (hHTG) rats treated with n-3 PUFA (30 mg/day) and atorvastatin (0.5 mg/100 g body weight per day) for 2 months. Cx43 expression and distribution in the aorta were investigated by using Western blotting and immunolabeling, followed by quantitative analysis. Transmis...

Statin prescription by Croatian family doctors lack of systematic proactive approach to cardiovascular disease prevention.

Collegium Antropologicum — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Vrdoljak D, Bergman Marković B, Kranjcević K The aim of this study was to investigate statin prescription by family doctors (GP) in primary (PP) and secondary (SP) prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Patients' socio-demographic data, total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) thresholds for statin prescription, indications, data on GP and practices were registered. Statins were prescribed in 11.2% enlisted patients (64.11% PP, 35.88% SP), mostly aged 70+. In PP, thresholds were TC 6.2 +/- 1.09 mmol/L, LDL-C 3.6 mmol/L, in SP 5.4 +/- 1.26 mmol/L, 2,7 mmol/L, respectively. Most frequently prescribed statin in PP was 10 mg atorvastatin (49.28%), in SP it was 20 mg simvastatin (48.36%). Participating GPs were women, aged 39 +/ 5.49, working for 13 +/-...

Med Sci Monit 2009; 15(12):MS12-23 "The influence of atorvastatin on parameters of inflammation and function of the left ventricle in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy"

Medical Science Monitor — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:38:24 +0100

Conclusions: Atorvastatin treatment significantly decreases the concentration of IL-6, and NT-proBNP in patients with DCM after 2 months of therapy. These results were consistent with the significant lengthening of the distance in 6-MWT, improvement of NYHA class, and fewer rehospitalizations due to heart failure, observed both after 2 and 6 months of atorvastatin treatment (ClinialTrial.gov No.: NCT01015144). (Source: Medical Science Monitor)

Atorvastatin/sirolimus interaction: Late airway anastomotic dehiscence: case report

Reactions — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:07:30 +0100

(Source: Reactions)

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Atorvastatin as a Potential Antimalarial Drug: In Vitro Synergy in Combinational Therapy with Dihydroartemisinin.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Savini H, Souraud JB, Briolant S, Baret E, Amalvict R, Rogier C, Pradines B Atorvastatin (AVA) is a synthetic inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA). ... PMID: 19949060 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy)

Dual effect of statin medication on the periodontium.

Journal of Clinical Periodontology — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:32:13 +0100

CONCLUSION: Statin medication appears to have an effect on the periodontium that is dependent on the inflammatory condition of the periodontium. More evidence is needed to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the effects of statins. PMID: 19930091 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Clinical Periodontology)

The Defensive Effect of Benfotiamine in Sodium Arsenite-Induced Experimental Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction.

Biological Trace Element Research — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Verma S, Reddy K, Balakumar P The present study has been designed to investigate the effect of benfotiamine, a thiamine derivative, in sodium arsenite-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction (VED) in rats. Sodium arsenite (1.5 mg(-1) kg(-1) day(-1) i.p., 2 weeks) was administered in rats to produce VED. The development of VED was assessed by employing isolated aortic ring preparation and estimating the serum and aortic concentrations of nitrite/nitrate. Further, the integrity of vascular endothelium in thoracic aorta was assessed by scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the oxidative stress was assessed by estimating serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and aortic superoxide anion generation. The administration of sodium arsenite markedly produced VED by at...

Atorvastatin improves the response to sildenafil in hypercholesterolemic men with erectile ...

UroToday — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Department of Urology, Shahid Modarress Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University (MC), Tehran, Iran. (Source: UroToday)

Statin use and development of atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials and observational studies

NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Source: DARE Area: Evidence > Disease Focused Reviews CRD Summary: The authors concluded that statins may be effective in preventing atrial fibrillation especially in postoperative patients, but there was insufficient evidence to recommend statins solely to prevent atrial fibrillation. Further research was required. This was generally a well-conducted review and the authors' cautious conclusions reflected the paucity of good-quality evidence. [Included studies assessed a variety of statins. All but one of the RCTs evaluated atorvastatin (10 mg to 80 mg). Most of the observational studies evaluated more than one statin. ] CRD Commentary: The review question and inclusion criteria were clearly stated. Several relevant sources were searched. Attempts were made to minimise publication an...

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Atorvastatin-induced cell toxicity in yeast is linked to disruption of protein isoprenylation

FEMS Yeast Research — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

In this study, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was exploited as a model system to gain further insight into the molecular mechanisms of atorvastatin toxicity. Atorvastatin-treated yeast cells display marked morphological deformities, have reduced cell viability and are highly vulnerable to perturbed mitochondrial function. Supplementation assays of atorvastatin-treated cells reveal that both loss of viability and mitochondrial dysfunction occur as a consequence of perturbation of the sterol synthesis pathway. This was further investigated by supplementing statin-treated cells with various metabolites of the sterol synthesis pathway that are believed to be essential for cell function. Ergosterol, coenzyme Q and a heme precursor were all ineffective in the prevention of statin-induced mitochondrial...

Human Skeletal Muscle Drug Transporters Determine Local Exposure and Toxicity of Statins.

Circulation Research — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: These results identify key membrane transporters as modulators of skeletal muscle statin exposure and toxicity. PMID: 19940267 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Circulation Research)

Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Reduction and Goal Achievement With Ezetimibe/Simvastatin Versus Atorvastatin or Rosuvastatin in Patients With Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, or Neither Disease, Stratified By National Cholesterol Education Program Risk Category

Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:24:58 +0100

Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders)

Use and cost of branded and generic drugs in patients with coronary heart disease--results from a prospective survey of 1008 patients in two London hospitals

QJM — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:23:53 +0100

Conclusion: Our results show a high rate of use of secondary preventive cardiac medications in patients undergoing coronary revascularization procedures, but the use of ACE inhibitors or beta blockers is still overlooked in about 1 in 10 patients. Branded drugs are prescribed in about half of all patients undergoing PCI and CABG, but in almost 90% of cases, a generic equivalent could have been used to achieve similar risk reduction. If our results reflect wider practice, an estimated £11 million a year would be saved by the National Health Service by switching to generic alternative drugs. (Source: QJM)

2-methoxyestradiol inhibits atorvastatin-induced rounding of human vascular smooth muscle cells

Journal of Cellular Physiology — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

In this study we examine whether estrogen and its metabolite, 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME), affect the rounding response of human vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) induced by ATV. Twenty-four hour treatment with ATV (10-100 µM) induced rounding of cultured human SMCs. Addition of 2ME (1-20 µM), but not 17[beta]-estradiol, for 2 h induced re-spreading of rounded cells. Our further studies showed that the effects of 2ME were mimicked by microtubule-disrupting drugs and inhibited by taxol. Inhibition of RhoA and ROCK (Rho-kinase) by C3-toxin and H-1152, respectively, blocked 2ME effects. 2ME effects were also blocked by treatment with either actin-interfering drugs, such as cytochalasin D and jasplakinolide, or myosin inhibitor blebbistatin. ML-7 and -9, the inhibitors for myosin light chain ...

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Atorvastatin increases low density lipoprotein receptor mRNA expression in human circulating mononuclear cells.

Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

We examined the influence of atorvastatin on the expression of the mRNAs for HMGCR, LDLR and LDLR-related protein (LRP), in circulating mononuclear cells. Twelve human subjects were treated with atorvastatin, 20 mg/day for 4 weeks. 3. Atorvastatin decreased plasma total and LDL cholesterol by 29% (P<0.0001) and 41% (P<0.001) respectively and increased LDLR mRNA abundance, in absolute terms, by 35% (P<0.001), and by 31% (P<0.0001) and 37% (P=0.01) relative to the reference GAPDH and beta-actin mRNAs respectively. By contrast, no significant influence was demonstrated on the abundance of LRP or HMGCR mRNA. 4. The increase in LDLR mRNA in circulating mononuclear cells agrees with the few human studies conducted, and with in-vitro and animal studies, while the unchanged HMGCR mRNA ...

Pfizer submits new paediatric data for atorvastatin to European Medicines Agency

NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Source: BioSpace Area: News Pfizer Inc has announced that it has submitted paediatric data for atorvastatin to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and also developed a new chewable form of the drug, including a paediatric-appropriate 5 mg dose, which is part of this submission. (Source: NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine)

Pfizer Submits New Pediatric Data For Lipitor(R) (Atorvastatin) To The European Medicines Agency (EMEA)

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) announced it has submitted pediatric data for Lipitor® (atorvastatin) to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). Pfizer has also developed a new chewable form of Lipitor, including a pediatric-appropriate 5 mg dose, which is part of this submission. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Pfizer Submits New Pediatric Data For Lipitor(R) (Atorvastatin) To The European Medicines Agency (EMEA)

Cholesterol News From Medical News Today — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Pfizer Submits New Pediatric Data For Lipitor(R) (Atorvastatin) To The European Medicines Agency (EMEA)

Cholesterol News From Medical News Today — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

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Pfizer Inc Submits New Pediatric Data for Lipitor to EMEA

Drugs.com - Pharma News — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:09:32 +0100

From EquityBites (November 18, 2009) Health care company Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) declared on Wednesday the submission of paediatric data for Lipitor (atorvastatin) to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). This follows the EMEA's conclusion that... (Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News)

NicOx - NCX 6560 meets primary and secondary objectives in first-in-man study

Drugs.com - Clinical Trials — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:45:35 +0100

Sophia Antipolis, France, November 13, 2009 - NicOx S.A. (NYSE Euronext Paris: COX) today announced that a phase 1b, first-in-man study for NCX 6560, versus placebo and Lipitor® (atorvastatin), has met its primary and secondary objectives. The... (Source: Drugs.com - Clinical Trials)

Lack of Robust Neurologic Benefits with Simvastatin or Atorvastatin Treatment After Acute Thoracic Spinal Cord Contusion Injury.

Experimental Neurology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Mann CM, Lee JH, Hillyer J, Stammers AM, Tetzlaff W, Kwon BK Although much progress has been made in the clinical care of patients with acute spinal cord injuries, there are no reliably effective treatments, which minimize secondary damage and improve neurologic outcome. The time and expense needed to establish de novo pharmacologic or biologic therapies for acute SCI has encouraged the development of neuroprotective treatments based on drugs that are already in clinical use, and, therefore, have the advantage of a well-characterized safety and pharmacokinetic profile in humans. Statins are the most commonly prescribed class of lipid-lowering drugs and, recently, it has been recognized that statins also have powerful immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. This paper d...

Stereoselective introduction of two chiral centers by a single diketoreductase: an efficient biocatalytic route for the synthesis of statin side chains.

Amino Acids — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Wu X, Wang L, Wang S, Chen Y Statins, including atorvastatin (Lipitor((R))), are the top-selling drugs in the world. The biocatalytic production of chiral side chains of statin drugs is of great interest to academia and industry. Stereoselective double reduction of a beta,delta-diketo ester catalyzed by a diketoreductase offers a simple and efficient route for the preparation of statin side chains. Comparison of different cofactor regeneration systems resulted in an easy and cost-effective process for this enzymatic reduction. PMID: 19916068 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Amino Acids)

Differing effect of statins on insulin sensitivity in non-diabetics: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Statins do not appear to demonstrate a ‘class effect’ on IS in patients without diabetes. Differences between individual statins likely exist that may partially explain the findings of previously conducted meta-analyses examining the impact of statins on the development of diabetes. (Source: Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice)

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Atorvastatin: Cholestatic jaundice in an elderly patient: case report

Reactions — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:08:04 +0100

(Source: Reactions)

Three-Dimensional Carotid Ultrasound Segmentation Variability Dependence on Signal Difference and Boundary Orientation

Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract: Quantitative measurements of the progression (or regression) of carotid plaque burden are important in monitoring patients and evaluating new treatment options. We previously developed a quantitative metric to analyze changes in carotid plaque morphology from 3-D ultrasound (US) on a point-by-point basis. This method requires multiple segmentations of the arterial wall and lumen boundaries to obtain the local standard deviation (SD) of vessel-wall-plus-plaque thickness (VWT) so that t-tests could be used to determine whether a change in VWT is statistically significant. However, the requirement for multiple segmentations makes clinical trials laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, this study was designed to establish the relationship between local segmentation SD and local sign...

Dr Reddy's files for marketing Lipitor generic

The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:20:42 +0100

Dr Reddy's Laboratories has filed for marketing a generic version of Pfizer's cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor in the US. (Source: The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News)

Dr Reddy's files for marketing Lipitor generic

The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:20:42 +0100

Dr Reddy's Laboratories has filed for marketing a generic version of Pfizer's cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor in the US. (Source: The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News)

Highly stereoselective hydrogenations-As key-steps in the total synthesis of statins.

Chirality — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Andrushko N, Andrushko V, Tararov V, Korostylev A, König G, Börner A Statins are inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) and became the standard of care for treatment of hypercholesterolemia because of their efficacy, safety, and long-term benefits. They are administered as diastereo- and enantiomerically pure compounds. We summarize here two new approaches for the total synthesis of the most important representatives, atorvastatin, and rosuvastatin, based on highly stereoselective hydrogenations as key-steps. Chirality 2010. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. PMID: 19899159 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Chirality)

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Effect of atorvastatin on tumor growth and metastasis in a breast cancer cell xenograft model and its mechanism

Frontiers of Medicine in China — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:51:14 +0100

Abstract This paper aims to evaluate the effects and the possible mechanisms of atorvastatin on tumor growth and metastasis in a xenograft tumor model. Twenty-four female athymic BALB/C mice with MDA-MB-435 xenograft tumors were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group, a low-dose atorvastatin treatment group, and a high-dose atorvastatin treatment group. The mice in the treatment groups began to be administered with atorvastatin (10 or 20 mg/kg per day) when the xenograft tumors reached 1 cm in diameter. At the end of the experiment, the tumor volume and weight and the lung metastasis colonies of each mouse were measured. Western blotting was applied to detect phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB, Akt), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-te...

The long-term effect between co-administration of simvastatin and ezetimibe and atorvastatin on central pulse wave velocity in adults with hypercholesterolemia

Artery Research — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The various statin might contribute to a change in arterial stiffness independent of the cholesterol-lowering effects of statin therapy. The aim of this study was to compare the short-term effect between co-administration of simvastatin and ezetimibe (vytorin) and atorvastatin (lipitor) on pulse wave velocity (PWV). (Source: Artery Research)

Achievement of ldl-c levels with three different drug strategies after failure of simvastatin 40mg

Atherosclerosis — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Background: NICE lipid guidelines recommend simvastatin (S) 40mg as initial therapy, after lifestyle changes, in most patients requiring treatment. When desirable levels have not been met, increasing the dose, switching to a more potent statin or adding ezetimibe (E) can be considered. The addition of E to S was compared with switching to atorvastatin (A) or rosuvastatin (R) in a randomised, double-blind trial. (Source: Atherosclerosis)

[Effects of plasma containing Buyang Huanwu Decoction and its effective components and total Panax notoginseng saponins on vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation induced by platelet-derived growth factor.]

Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao : Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine. — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: BYHWD and its alkaloids and glycosides have similar roles of resisting VSMC proliferation to TSPN and atorvastatin. Alkaloids and glycosides may be the major effective substances of anti-VSMC proliferation in BYHWD. PMID: 19912742 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao : Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine.)

Atorvastatin mediates increases in intralesional BAX and BAK expression in human end-stage abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Schweitzer M, Mitmaker B, Obrand D, Sheiner N, Abraham C, Dostanic S, Chalifour LE Chronic apoptosis activation may participate in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) expansion. Statin treatment slows AAA progression independent of cholesterol lowering. We hypothesized that Atorvastatin treatment alters apoptosis protein expression and activation in AAAs. Protein was isolated from the central and distal portions of end-stage human AAA tissue obtained during surgical repair from non-statin (NST) and Atorvastatin-treated (AT) patients. Expression was compared using immunoblots. Bcl-2 expression was unchanged but Bak (4-fold, p < 0.013) and Bax (3-fold, p < 0.035) expression was increased in AT (n = 12) versus NST (n = 15) patients. No cytochrome c release or caspase 3 activati...

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Atorvastatin improves the impaired baroreflex sensitivity via anti-oxidant effect in the rostral ventrolateral medulla of SHRSP.

Clinical and Experimental Hypertension — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Kishi T, Hirooka Y, Konno S, Sunagawa K We have demonstrated that oxidative stress in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), a vasomotor center in brainstem, increases sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and that oral administration of atorvastatin inhibited SNA via anti-oxidant effect in the RVLM of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSPs). The impairment of baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) is known as the predictive factor of mortality in the hypertension and BRS is impaired in SHRSP. The aim of the present study was to determine whether oral administration of atorvastatin improved the impaired BRS via anti-oxidant effect in the RVLM in SHRSP. Atorvastatin (20 mg/kg/day) or vehicle was orally administered for 28 days in SHRSPs. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart r...

Effect of atorvastatin and fenofibric acid on adipokine release from visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue of patients with mixed dyslipidemia and normolipidemic subjects.

Pharmacological Reports — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Krysiak R, Labuzek K, Okopień B Because of methodological limitations and conflicting results of studies conducted thus far, the possible involvement of human adipose tissue in pleiotropic effects of statins and fibrates requires better understanding. Samples of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained from 23 mixed dyslipidemic patients and 23 normolipidemic subjects were treated in vitro for 48 h with atorvastatin, fenofibric acid or both these agents. Visceral and subcutaneous fat of mixed dyslipidemic patients released more leptin, resistin, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and less adiponectin than respective adipose tissue of patients without lipid abnormalities. In both groups of patients,...

Reduced Intimal Hyperplasia in Rabbits via Medical Therapy after Carotid Venous Bypass.

Texas Heart Institute Journal — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:32:03 +0100

Authors: Yucel S, Bahcivan M, Gol MK, Erenler BH, Kolbakir F, Keceligil HT Intimal hyperplasia is a major cause of restenosis after the interventional or surgical treatment of occlusive arterial disease. We investigated the effects of clopidogrel, calcium dobesilate, nebivolol, and atorvastatin on the development of intimal hyperplasia in rabbits after carotid venous bypass surgery. We divided 40 male New Zealand rabbits into 4 study groups and 1 control group. After occluding the carotid arteries of the rabbits, we constructed jugular venous grafts between the proximal and the distal segments of the occluded artery. Thereafter, group 1 (control) received no medication. We administered daily oral doses of clopidogrel to group 2, calcium dobesilate to group 3, nebivolol to group 4, and ...

Study: Cholesterol drugs may improve flu survival

CTV Health — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:04:48 +0100

A new treatment for swine flu may already be on pharmacy shelves -- cholesterol-lowering statin drugs like Lipitor and Zocor. (Source: CTV Health)