[Hypercholesterolemia--a clinical problem in heart transplantation. A therapeutic trial with low-dose lovastatin].
One year after heart transplantation, serum total cholesterol had increased by 24% in 103 recipients on prednisolon, cyclosporin A, and azathioprin immuno-suppression, and was above 5.2 mmol/l in 84 of them. Incremental small dose lovastatin treatment up to 20 mg per day safely reduced total cholesterol by 19% and LDL-cholesterol by 24% in 14 patients with serum cholesterol above 7.5 mmol/l. Serum concentration of lovastatin did not increase further after three weeks treatment with 20 mg. It is concluded that hypercholesterolaemia in heart recipients treated with cyclosporin A can be treated safely with small dose lovastatin. Drug therapy should be individualized and conducted by physicians experienced in transplantation medicine.
Medisinsk avdeling B, Rikshospitalet, Oslo.
S
S
Simonsen
L
L
Gullestad
K
K
Forfang
H
H
Ihlen
K P
KP
Nordal
O
O
Geiran
A T
AT
Høstmark
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D008148:Lovastatin
Hyperkolesterolemi--et klinisk problem ved hjertetransplantasjon. Behandlingsforsøk med lavdose lovastatin.