title: Efficacy and safety of cerivastatin and pravastatin in the treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia.
abstract: In this randomized, double-blind, parallel group study, the efficacy and safety of cerivastatin (0.3 mg) and pravastatin (20 mg) were compared in 402 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia with and without documented coronary heart disease or peripheral vascular disease. After 8 weeks of treatment, cerivastatin provided significantly greater reductions than pravastatin in low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (31.1% vs. 26.0%; p < 0.0001) and total cholesterol (21.1% vs. 17.8%; p < 0.0001). A greater proportion of patients treated with cerivastatin than pravastatin achieved > 30% and > 40% reductions from baseline in LDL-cholesterol. Both agents also increased high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and reduced triglycerides. Overall, 65.1% of patients treated with cerivastatin and 63.3% of patients with pravastatin achieved LDL-cholesterol goals defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program. Both drugs were well tolerated, with most adverse events being mild. These results demonstrate that cerivastatin (0.3 mg) is a highly effective 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, which enables a large proportion of patients to achieve clinically meaningful reductions in LDL-cholesterol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hypertension, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore 21201, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ferdinand
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Yellen
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tonkon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krug-Gourley
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012449:Safety; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; D014280:Triglycerides; C086276:cerivastatin; D017035:Pravastatin