title: Comparison of lovastatin and gemfibrozil in normolipidemic patients with hypoalphalipoproteinemia.
abstract: This study compared lovastatin and gemfibrozil therapy for effects on lipid and lipoprotein levels in 22 normolipidemic patients with reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Most patients had coronary heart disease. A randomized, crossover design consisted of two drug phases (lovastatin and gemfibrozil) alternating with placebo. Lovastatin reduced total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels by 28%, 34%, and 24%, respectively. These were unaffected by gemfibrozil. Both drugs reduced very low-density lipoprotein and intermediate-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels by 30% to 40%. Both caused small but significant increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but not in apolipoproteins A-I or A-II. Both significantly lowered ratios of total (and low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but lovastatin more than gemfibrozil. Thus, for normolipidemic patients with low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, neither drug markedly raised high-density lipoprotein levels, but lovastatin produced the better overall change in lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels.
authors: Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9052.
authors: G L
authors: GL
authors: Vega
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Grundy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015248:Gemfibrozil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007009:Hypolipoproteinemias / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D008148:Lovastatin; D015248:Gemfibrozil