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Effects of long-term treatment with simvastatin on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia

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Summary

We investigated long-term hypolipidemic effects and clinical safety of simvastatin, a new competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase in 24 patients with familial and non-familial hypercholesterolemia. Patients received up to 40 mg simvastatin for a period of 30 months. Significant decreases were noted in plasma cholesterol (30%), plasma triglycerides (25%), very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (26%), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (40%), whereas an increase in plasma high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (11%) was observed. Furthermore, the percentage decrease in plasma low density lipoprotein cholesterol was independent of individual baseline concentrations. Simvastatin did not alter the composition of low density lipoproteins or high density lipoproteins. The percentage decrease in total plasma and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol was independent of apoprotein E isoforms and low density lipoprotein-receptor activity as assayed in cultured fibroblasts. The drug therapy was well tolerated and clinical examinations revealed no adverse effects. Clinical chemistry indices and hematological, as well as endocrinological parameters remained within normal limits and ranges.

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Abbreviations

VLDL:

very low density lipoprotein

LDL:

low density lipoprotein

HDL:

high density lipoprotein

CHD:

coronary heart disease

LDL-C:

low density lipoprotein-cholesterol

FH:

familial hypercholesterolemia

HMG-CoA:

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A

HELP:

heparin extracorporeal low density lipoprotein precipitation

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Klinische Chemie am Klinikum Großhadern der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München

    J. Thiery, A. K. Walli & D. Seidel

  2. Abteilung für Gastroenterologie and Endokrinologie, Zentrum Innere Medizin, Klinikum Göttingen, Deutschland

    C. Creutzfeldt & W. Creutzfeldt

Authors
  1. J. Thiery
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  2. C. Creutzfeldt
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  3. W. Creutzfeldt
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  4. A. K. Walli
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  5. D. Seidel
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Additional information

Dedicated to Prof. Dr. med. F. Scheler on the occasion of his 65th birthday

This work was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to A.K. Walli (Wa 458/I-1)

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Thiery, J., Creutzfeldt, C., Creutzfeldt, W. et al. Effects of long-term treatment with simvastatin on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia. Klin Wochenschr 68, 814–822 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01796271

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01796271

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