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Are Statins an Option in the Management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms?

Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Vascular Disease Prevention Clinic, Academic Department of Surgery, University College Medical School London

Christos D. Liapis, MD, FACS, FRCS

Department of Vascular Surgery Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece

George Hamilton, MD, FRCS

Academic Department of Surgery, University College Medical School London

Dimitri P. Mikhailidis, MD, FFPM, FRCP, FRCPath

Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Vascular Disease Prevention Clinic, Royal Free Hospital, and Royal Free University College Medical School London, United Kingdom, mikhailidis{at}aol.com, mikhailidis{at}hotmail.com

Medline was searched for studies investigating the perioperative and long-term results that derive from statin use in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and the clinical and experimental evidence dealing with aneurysm expansion. Data suggest that statins improve the perioperative and long-term outcomes of aneurysm operations and may also reduce expansion rates. International guidelines recommend the use of statins in these patients because abdominal aortic aneurysms are considered as a coronary heart disease equivalent. These guidelines do not appear to have been widely implemented. Preliminary results suggest that statins might play a role in the management of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Verification of these results in large-scale trials may hold implications for a more comprehensive approach of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms as well as population-wide aneurysm screening programs. Irrespective of the role of statins on aneurysm expansion rates, it is important to ensure that all abdominal aortic aneurysm patients receive statin therapy to improve perioperative and long-term morbidity and mortality.

Key Words: statins • abdominal aortic aneurysms • perioperative mortality • AAA expansion rate

Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Vol. 42, No. 2, 128-134 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1538574407308205


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