Treatment with simvastatin and low-dose aspirin depresses thrombin generation in patients with coronary heart disease and borderline-high cholesterol levels.
Aspirin and statins are beneficial in coronary heart disease across a broad range of cholesterol levels. We assessed the effects of low-dose aspirin (75 mg daily) on thrombin generation in patients with coronary heart disease and average blood cholesterol levels. We also investigated whether in patients with borderline-high cholesterol level who have been already taking aspirin, additional treatment with simvastatin would affect thrombin generation. Seven-day treatment with low-dose aspirin decreased thrombin generation ex vivo only in patients with total cholesterol < or = 5.2 mmol/L. In patients with higher cholesterol levels aspirin had no effect. In these patients, already taking low-dose aspirin, additional three-month simvastatin treatment resulted in a reduction of thrombin generation. This demonstrates that low-dose aspirin depresses thrombin generation only in subjects with desirable blood cholesterol levels, while in others, with borderline-high cholesterol, thrombin formation is being reduced following the addition of simvastatin.
Dept of Medicine, Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Krakow, Poland. mmmusia@cyf-kr.edu.pl
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Szczeklik
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000187:drug effects; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013917:Thrombin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*
D006490:Hemostatics; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; C045879:prothrombin fragment 1.2; D011516:Prothrombin; D002784:Cholesterol; D019821:Simvastatin; D013917:Thrombin; D001241:Aspirin