title: Efficacy and short-term effects of pravastatin, a potent inhibitor of HMG-Co A reductase, on hypercholesterolemia in climacteric women.
abstract: The effects of pravastatin, a potent inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, on serum lipids and lipoproteins were studied in 86 patients (36 premenopausal and 50 postmenopausal women) suffering from primary hypercholesterolemia. The effects of this lipid-lowering drug on serum gonadotropins and sex steroids are also reported. Pravastatin produced a mean reduction in serum total cholesterol (T-CHO) of 24.7%, triglyceride (TG) of 30.0%, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CHO) of 36.0% after treatment for three months. The drug also produced a mean increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CHO) of 1.4% after three months. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T) levels were not significantly changed from pre-therapy levels in either pre- or post-menopausal women after treatment for six months. Pravastatin is well-tolerated for six months and is a very effective lipid lowering agent with no effects on the biosynthesis of sex steroids. These findings suggest that pravastatin can be used for treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia in women around menopause.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ushiroyama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueki
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
mesh_terms: D002979:Climacteric / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017697:Premenopause; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006062:Gonadotropins; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D017035:Pravastatin