[Comparison of 2 cholesterol synthesis inhibitors (simvastatin and pravastatin)].
Inhibitors of cholesterol synthesis (HMG-CoA reductase) are the most effective cholesterol-lowering drugs. Comparison of several studies in the literature suggests that simvastatin is approximately twice as effective as pravastatin on a milligram basis. These results are confirmed by the present study, which compares treatment with simvastatin (10 mg/d) with pravastatin (20 mg/d) in the same hypercholesterolemic patients (n = 17). The reduction in LDL cholesterol is the same with twice the dose of pravastatin as with simvastatin (26 +/- 3% vs 27 +/- 2% respectively). The reductions in atherogenic ratios, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and ApoB/ApoA1 are similar. Undesirable effects are rare and comparable. The differences between the two inhibitors appear to be on the molecular level, in tissue selectively and regarding in vivo efficacy.
Golay
A
A
Division de diabétologie, Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire Genève.
Lehmann
T
T
James
R
R
Pometta
D
D
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019821:Simvastatin
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D002784:Cholesterol; D008148:Lovastatin; D019821:Simvastatin; D017035:Pravastatin