Effect of atorvastatin on impaired vascular function in healthy old men.
OBJECTIVE
This study was initiated to examine the effect of cholesterol-lowering therapy with 40 mg atorvastatin on vascular function in healthy old and young men.


METHODS
We selected healthy normolipidaemic, elderly subjects (n = 8, mean age 80.1 years) and young subjects (n = 7, mean age 21.8 years). All had a normal electrocardiograph and blood pressure, and signs or symptoms of cardiovascular disease were absent. The subjects were studied for 2 days, with 6 weeks of atorvastatin treatment in between. Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured by computerized venous occlusion plethysmography upon intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine (ACh; 30 and 90 ng/kg/min) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; 0.3 and 0.9 ng/kg/min) as endothelium-dependent vasodilators, and sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 30 and 90 ng/kg/min) as an endothelium-independent vasodilator.


RESULTS
At baseline, the mean absolute FBF in the elderly was 2.6 mL/min/100 mL and in the young 4.3 mL/min/100 mL tissue (P = 0.01). The mean serum total cholesterol levels were 5.2 and 3.8 mmol/L, respectively (P = 0.007). The endothelium-dependent vasodilatation induced by ACh and 5-HT was significantly lower in the elderly compared with the young (both P < 0.01), whereas the endothelium-independent vasodilatation induced by SNP was not significantly lower in the elderly compared with the young. Atorvastatin treatment decreased the serum total cholesterol level with a mean of 38 and 28% in the elderly and the young, respectively (P < 0.001). Impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilatation, however, was not modified (P > 0.65).


CONCLUSIONS
Healthy old men have an impaired endothelium-dependent vascular response but this impairment is not restored by treatment with atorvastatin.
Weverling-Rijnsburger
A W E
AW
Department of General Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. a.w.e.weverling-rijnsburger@lumc.nl
Blauw
G J
GJ
Meinders
A E
AE
D000109:Acetylcholine; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009599:Nitroprusside; D010991:Plethysmography; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012701:Serotonin; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D011758:Pyrroles; D014280:Triglycerides; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009599:Nitroprusside; D012701:Serotonin; D002784:Cholesterol; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D000109:Acetylcholine