Usefulness of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor in Japanese hyperlipidemic women within seven years of menopause.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the therapeutic value of treatment with an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor in women with hypoestrogenic hyperlipidemia caused by menopause.


METHODS
Fifty-six women with total cholesterol (TC) levels of 220 mg/dl or more who were within 7 years of menopause were randomly assigned to receive an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (pravastatin 10 mg/day; treated group, 26 patients) or no medical treatment (nontreated group, 30 patients) in this 6-month nonblinded prospective trial.


RESULTS
In the treated group, the mean (SD) TC levels decreased significantly from 254.5+/-22.3 mg/dl at baseline to 204.7+/-22.2 mg/dl (19.6%), and the mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level decreased significantly from 146.7+/-30.5 to 104.3+/-22.5 mg/dl (28.9%); the mean arteriosclerotic index decreased significantly from 2.98 to 2.08 (30.2%). There were no significant changes in either triglyceride levels or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. In the nontreated group, there were no significant changes in the TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, or triglyceride levels; there was also no change in the arteriosclerotic index. After 6 months, the TC level, LDL-C level, and arteriosclerotic index were significantly lower in the treated group compared with the nontreated group (p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor lowered TC and LDL-C levels and was useful in the treatment of hypoestrogenic hyperlipidemia for periods of at least 6 months.
Ohta
H
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Masuda
A
A
Fuyuki
T
T
Sugimoto
I
I
Suda
Y
Y
Makita
K
K
Takamatsu
K
K
Horiguchi
F
F
Nozawa
S
S
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007564:Japan; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D017035:Pravastatin