title: Statins in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy: an update on our current clinical and pathophysiological understanding.
abstract: Statins are a cornerstone in reducing cardiovascular events. Studies show that statins are beneficial even in patients with normal or low cholesterol levels, indicating pleiotropic mechanisms of therapeutic benefit apart from their antihyperlipidemic effect. Non-randomised, observational and retrospective studies suggest that statins are associated with better outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) of both ischaemic and non-ischaemic aetiologies. While cholesterol reduction and plaque stabilisation likely play a role in reducing cardiovascular events in ischaemic HF patients, the mechanisms underlying the benefit in non-ischaemic HF patients is less clear. This review suggests the pleiotropic effects of statin therapy can beneficially alter the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the clinical benefit observed in non-ischaemic HF patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Heart & Vascular Health, Albert Einstein Medical Center, PA 19141, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Figueredo
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000517:prevention & control; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000517:prevention & control; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors