title: Decreasing LDL cholesterol and medication cost with every-other-day statin therapy.
abstract: Statins are administered daily, but because of their long half-lives, atorvastatin and rosuvastatin can be given every other day (q.o.d.). We examined the effect of q.o.d. statin therapy in 25 patients treated with either atorvastatin (mean dose, 18.8 mg q.o.d.) or rosuvastatin (mean dose, 9.7 mg q.o.d.). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased 43%, triglycerides (mean +/- SEM) decreased 22%+/-6%, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased 9%+/-6% with q.o.d. atorvastatin (n=9; p<0.05 for all). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased 28%, triglycerides decreased 15%+/-6%, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased 10%+/-5% with rosuvastatin q.o.d. (n=16; p<0.05 for all). We conclude that q.o.d. treatment with long-acting statins significantly improves serum lipid levels.
authors.affiliation: Preventive Cardiology, Henry Low Heart Center, Division of Cardiology, Hartford Hospital, 86 Seymour Street, Hartford, CT 06102, USA.
authors.forename: Monika A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Juszczyk
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Seip
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000069059:Atorvastatin; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011758:Pyrroles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D000069059:Atorvastatin