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Pitavastatin: A Review in Hypercholesterolemia

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Abstract

Oral pitavastatin (Livalo®; Livazo®) is a competitive HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor that is available in the EU for the reduction of elevated total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in adults with primary hypercholesterolemia and combined (mixed) dyslipidemia. In short-term, phase III or IV studies in this patient population, pitavastatin 1–4 mg once daily was generally no less effective than presumed equipotent dosages of atorvastatin and simvastatin (including in patients with type 2 diabetes or ≥2 cardiovascular risk factors) and was superior to pravastatin (including in patients aged ≥65 years) in lowering LDL-C levels. Pitavastatin provided sustained LDL-C-lowering efficacy over up to 60 weeks’ therapy in extension studies, and was associated with short- and longer-term improvements in several other lipid parameters. Short- and longer-term outcomes in studies in Asian patients were consistent with these findings. Pitavastatin was generally well tolerated and did not appear to adversely affect glucose metabolism parameters (e.g. fasting blood glucose, fasting plasma glucose, fasting plasma insulin, glycated hemoglobin) in short- and longer-term prospective and post-marketing surveillance studies in adults. Moreover, in combination with lifestyle modification advice, it was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of progression from impaired glucose tolerance to diabetes relative to lifestyle modification advice alone in a longer-term study in Japanese subjects. Thus, pitavastatin is an effective treatment option in adults with primary hypercholesterolemia and combined (mixed) dyslipidemia, including those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

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Acknowledgements

During the peer review process, the manufacturer of pitavastatin was also offered an opportunity to review this article. Changes resulting from comments received were made on the basis of scientific and editorial merit.

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    Sheridan M. Hoy

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The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.

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Sheridan Hoy is a salaried employee of Adis/Springer, is responsible for the article content and declares no relevant conflicts of interest.

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The manuscript was reviewed by: M. H. Davidson, Department of Cardiology, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; P. Marques da Silva, Arterial Investigation Unit, Medicine 4, Santa Marta’s Hospital, CHLC, Lisbon, Portugal; L. Mascitelli, Comando Brigata Alpina “Julia”/Multinational Land Force, Medical Service, Udine, Italy; L. Ose, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

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Hoy, S.M. Pitavastatin: A Review in Hypercholesterolemia. Am J Cardiovasc Drugs 17, 157–168 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40256-017-0213-8

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