Effect of atorvastatin on bone mineral density in patients with acute coronary syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effect of atorvastatin on bone mineral density in patients with acute ischemic heart disease.


METHODS
Eighty-three patients (52 male and 31 female) with acute coronary syndrome were studied. They received treatment with atorvastatin using low doses (20 mg) and high doses (40 mg-80 mg). Initial and final cholesterol, triglyceride, calcium, phosphorus, 25-hydroxyvitamin D were obtained from every patient. Spine and hip bone mineral density were performed at the beginning and one year later.


RESULTS
Atorvastatin treatment increases vitamin D (33%, p = 0.007) and decreases the individuals with vitamin D insufficiency. Bone mineral density increased in the spine (1.31%, p = 0.02), but it was significant only in male and patients presenting vitamin D levels higher than 30 nmol/l.


CONCLUSIONS
Atorvastatin has a beneficial effect on bone metabolism in patients with acute ischemic heart disease (mainly males) by incrementing bone mineral density in which vitamin D levels are required to be higher than 30 nmol/l for the drug to be effective.
Department of Medicine, Rio Hortega University Hospital, Valladolid, Spain. castrv@terra.es
J L
JL
Pérez-Castrillón
L
L
Abad
G
G
Vega
A
A
Sanz-Cantalapiedra
M
M
García-Porrero
F
F
Pinacho
A
A
Dueñas
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000368:Aged; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013131:Spine / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control
D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D014807:Vitamin D; D000069059:Atorvastatin