Statins: an essential component in the management of carotid artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to define the role of treatment using statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) in the management of patients with carotid artery disease.
We searched PubMed for studies evaluating the effect of statins on carotid IMT and the occurrence of cerebrovascular events.
Current evidence indicates that routine statin therapy reduces carotid intima-media thickness progression and stroke risk. Additionally, statin treatment significantly reduces perioperative as well as long-term morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing carotid surgery or endovascular interventions. It would also be expected that statins would reduce coronary events in this high-risk population.


CONCLUSIONS
Statins should be considered as an essential component of the therapeutic approach of patients with carotid artery stenosis.
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Kosmas I
KI
Paraskevas
George
G
Hamilton
Dimitri P
DP
Mikhailidis
D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors