title: Statins as potential treatment for cholesterol gallstones: an attempt to understand the underlying mechanism of actions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Statin therapy is widely used across the globe for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is well established that statin therapy is associated with significant decreases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and plasma cholesterol levels. Cholesterol gallstones are a common problem, resulting in hospital admission and surgery, throughout western healthcare systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review describes the mechanisms, and addresses the potential, for statins to be used as a treatment for gallstones. Medline was searched for the risk factors and treatment of cholesterol gallstones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obesity, metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), insulin resistance and high-fat diets (unsaturated fats) rich in cholesterol are all associated risk factors for cholesterol gallstones. In view of the high prevalence of cholesterol gallstones, there is an urgent need to understand whether pharmacological therapies can be harnessed for the treatment of cholesterol gallstones. Gallstones are shown to be associated with an increased risk, not only of mortality, but also of CVD. Statins, widely used in prevention of CVD and hypercholesteremia, have been shown to dissolve cholesterol gallstones in animal models and human studies, highlighting the potential for a pharmacological therapy for gallstones. More studies are required to understand the role of statins in the treatment of gallstones and for comparison with current treatment strategies.
authors: The James Cook University Hospital, Cardiothoracic Division, Department of Cardiology, Marton Road, Middlesbrough TS4 3BW, UK.
authors: Mohamed H
authors: MH
authors: Ahmed
authors: Mahir A
authors: MA
authors: Hamad
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Routh
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Connolly
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D042882:Gallstones / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D009281:Naphthalenes; D002784:Cholesterol