This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Saliashvili, G. Articles by Brown, W. V. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Saliashvili, G. Articles by Brown, W. V. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Medline Plus Health Information Statins Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Simvastatin Improved Arterial Compliance in High-Risk Patients

Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA

Warren W. Davis, MD

Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA

Matthey T. Harris, MD

Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA

Ngoc-Anh Le, PhD

Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA

W. Virgil Brown, MD

Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Mail Code 111, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033 w.virgil.brown{at}med.va.gov

Reduced arterial compliance is associated with arteriosclerosis. In some arteries, this is due in part to abnormal vascular tone, which can be altered by low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol reduction and statin therapy. We tested the effectiveness of statin therapy in improving arterial compliance in patients with manifest coronary disease (CAD) and/or diabetes. Simvastatin (40 mg/day) was administered to 10 patients with proven CAD for 4 months. As measured by air plethysmography, compliance of the arterial segments in the thigh improved in every patient after 2 months, increasing by 34% by the fourth month. Compliance at the calf was not affected. These results suggest that compliance in the thigh is controlled by smooth muscle tone. Compliance measurements in the thigh and calf may be a useful measurement in evaluating high-risk patients and monitoring cholesterol-lowering therapy.

Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Vol. 38, No. 6, 519-523 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/153857440403800605


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?