title: LDL-C goal attainment with ezetimibe plus simvastatin coadministration vs atorvastatin or simvastatin monotherapy in patients at high risk of CHD.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the proportion of patients at high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) achieving the recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) treatment goal of < 100 mg/dL and the optional LDL-C target of < 70 mg/dL with coadministration of ezetimibe and simvastatin (EZE/SIMVA) vs either atorvastatin or simvastatin monotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with established CHD or CHD risk equivalent according to National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria with baseline LDL-C = 130 mg/dL and triglycerides (TG) < or = 350 mg/dL.
  
  
  METHODS
  A post hoc analysis from 2 separate studies assessed the percentage of high-risk patients achieving the LDL-C targets (< 100 and < 70 mg/dL) after 6 weeks on the usual recommended starting doses of the following treatments: EZE/SIMVA (10/20 mg) vs atorvastatin (10 mg) or simvastatin (20 mg). Depending on the study, EZE/SIMVA 10/10 or 10/40 mg was also compared with either atorvastatin 10 mg or simvastatin 20 mg. Percent change in other lipid parameters from baseline to study endpoint was also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both studies, the proportions of patients achieving an LDL-C of < 100 mg/dL were significantly (P < .001) greater for EZE/SIMVA 10/10, 10/20, or 10/40 mg vs either atorvastatin 10 mg or simvastatin 20 mg after 6 weeks. The percentage reaching the optional LDL-C treatment target of < 70 mg/dL was also significantly higher with EZE/SIMVA compared with either atorvastatin or simvastatin. Percent reduction in LDL-C was significantly (P < .001) larger with all doses of EZE/SIMVA (46% to 59%) compared with either atorvastatin 10 mg (37%) or simvastatin 20 mg (38%) monotherapy after 6 weeks. Changes in other lipid parameters consistently favored EZE/SIMVA vs statin monotherapy. All treatments were well tolerated in both studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients at high risk for CHD are more likely to attain LDL-C treatment targets with the usual recommended starting dose of EZE/SIMVA (10 or 20 mg) therapy than with that of atorvastatin (10 mg) or simvastatin (20 mg) monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: National Clinic Research, Inc., Richmond, Virginia, USA. jmckenney@ncrinc.net
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKenney
authors.forename: Christie M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ballantyne
authors.forename: Theodore A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Palmisano
authors.forename: Yale B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Mitchel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D001384:Azetidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D005260:Female; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012307:Risk Factors; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001384:Azetidines; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D019821:Simvastatin; D000069438:Ezetimibe