Effect of atorvastatin on dynamic parameters of myocardial repolarization in healthy subjects.
BACKGROUND
Antiarrhythmic properties of statins were suggested as a part of their pleiotropic effects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of atorvastatin on myocardial repolarization as manifested on surface electrocardiograms (ECGs) in healthy subjects.


RESULTS
Forty young healthy volunteers (20 men, 20 women) underwent a single-dose double-blind 3-way crossover study of 20 and 80 mg of atorvastatin and placebo. Long-term 13-hour 12-lead ECGs were obtained in each subject and each study period starting 15 minutes before drug administration. Each study period contained 18 time-points of 5-minute durations when the subjects were in resting supine positions. Digital ECG recordings were analyzed automatically, and the results were completed blindly before statistical analyses. Dynamic parameters of myocardial repolarization and T-wave morphology descriptors were evaluated. Although some trends were observed, no significant drug-related changes in any of investigated ECG repolarization descriptors were found.


CONCLUSIONS
In comparison with placebo, single doses of atorvastatin had no effect on repolarization heterogeneity in healthy subjects. The observation confirms safe profile of the drug with limited proarrhythmic potential.
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic. ondrej.toman@atlas.cz
Ondrej
O
Toman
Tomas
T
Novotny
Martina
M
Sisakova
Katerina
K
Hnatkova
Irena
I
Andrsova
Jiri
J
Parenica
Martin
M
Poloczek
Radmila
R
Jenysova
Lenka
L
Manouskova
Jindrich
J
Spinar
Marek
M
Malik
D000328:Adult; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin