title: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors improve heart rate variability in patients with a previous myocardial infarction.
abstract: Statins decrease mortality in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The effect may begin early after initiation of therapy, but the mechanism(s) behind this has not been totally delineated. In the present study 304 patients referred for elective coronary angiography due to suspected CHD were included. Seventy-three of the patients had a previous myocardial infarction (MI). Twenty-four hours heart rate variability (HRV) was obtained in all the patients. In patients with a previous MI, HRV was significantly higher in patients who were treated with statins compared to patients not given statins. Matching of the patients with identical serum cholesterol levels (3.7 mmol l(-1) < or = s-cholesterol < or = 8.1 mmol l (-1)) also revealed a higher SDNN in patients who had a previous MI and were on statin treatment. Similar results were seen by matching for serum low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In line with this, step-wise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that treatment with statins had an independent and significant impact on HRV. Our data suggest that statins may increase HRV in patients with a previous MI, which could in part explain the early beneficial effect on clinical events observed in several trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aalborg Hospital, Hobrovej, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark. samriahi@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riahi
authors.forename: Jeppe Hagstrup
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Egon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toft
authors.forename: Helle Aarup
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Skou
authors.forename: Erik Berg
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol