title: [Clinical trial of lovastatin versus gemfibrozil in the treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia].
abstract: A randomized, double-blind, 12 weeks comparison of Lovastatin and Gemfibrozil in the treatment of patients with primary hypercholesterolemia was performed in 31 patients. After a placebo and diet period (4 weeks), they were assigned to either Lovastatin 20 mg nightly or Gemfibrozil 600 mg twice daily, if their total serum cholesterol was < 300 mg/dl, and to either Lovastatin 40 mg nightly or Gemfibrozil 600 mg/12 if it was > 300 mg/dl. In both cases, the Lovastatin dose was doubled after 6 weeks, if serum cholesterol remained > 200 mg/dl. The dose of Gemfibrozil kept constant. Lovastatin reduced serum cholesterol from 354 +/- 91 mg/dl to 253 +/- 62 mg/dl (p < 0.001), LDL-cholesterol from 277 +/- 104 to 192 +/- 71 mg/dl (p < 0.001) and serum triglyceride level from 125 +/- 66 a 84 +/- 41 mg/dl. The corresponding reductions achieved by Gemfibrozil were: 343 +/- 86 to 290 +/- 72 mg/dl (p < 0.01), 264 +/- 89 to 217 +/- 67 mg/dl (p < 0.05) and 152 +/- 84 to 89 +/- 41 mg/dl (p < 0.001), respectively. Lovastatin therapy caused a 30.6% reduction in total cholesterol level, while Gemfibrozil achieved a 19.47%. There were no significant changes in HDL-cholesterol. Patients had no serious or clinically significant adverse effects. The current data suggest that Lovastatin (an inhibitor of HMG-Coa reductase) may provide one important means for lipid-lowering therapy in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia.
authors: Servicio de Farmacología Clínica, Clínica Universitaria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Navarra.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Catalán
authors: A
authors: A
authors: López de Ocáriz
authors: M P
authors: MP
authors: Alvarez
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ariño
authors: J R
authors: JR
authors: Azanza
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Honorato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000139:chemically induced; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D015248:Gemfibrozil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D002784:Cholesterol; D008148:Lovastatin; D015248:Gemfibrozil
vernacular_title: Estudio clínico de lovastatina frente a gemfibrozil en el tratamiento de la hipercolesterolemia primaria.