Efficacy of pravastatin as a hypolipidemic agent in patients with polygenic hypercholesterolemia

Arch Med Res. 1992 Autumn;23(3):117-22.

Abstract

In Mexico, hypercholesterolemia has become a major public health problem particularly in the states of the north of the country and in Mexico City, where a prevalence of 20% has been reported. Schemes of treatment have now been reinforced by the appearance of new cholesterol reducing drugs. The objective of the study was to demonstrate efficacy and safety of a 10 mg daily dose of oral Pravastatin (a new 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl CoA inhibitor) in a group of patients positive for hyperlipidemia, after 6 months of treatment. Twenty-five patients were included (14 men, 11 women) with an average age of 54 and 50 years, respectively. The main outcome measure was total cholesterol (T-CHOL), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TGL), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and adverse drug reactions report. Twenty-one out of 25 patients completed the study. T-CHOL diminished 21%, LDL-C was reduced by 28%, TGL decreased 6% and HDL-C increased 32%. No adverse reactions were observed throughout the study. Our study shows that the use of a low dose of Pravastatin satisfactorily reduced T-CHOL and LDL-C levels while significantly increasing HDL-C after 27 weeks of treatment, without untoward effects.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Creatine Kinase / blood
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / blood
  • Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / complications
  • Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / drug therapy*
  • Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / epidemiology
  • Isoenzymes
  • Lipoproteins / blood
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Male
  • Mexico / epidemiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Pravastatin / adverse effects
  • Pravastatin / therapeutic use*
  • Prevalence
  • Prospective Studies
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Triglycerides / blood

Substances

  • Isoenzymes
  • Lipoproteins
  • Triglycerides
  • Cholesterol
  • Creatine Kinase
  • Pravastatin