title: Pravastatin improves endothelial function in arteries used in coronary bypass grafting.
abstract: Internal mammary artery (IMA) and radial artery (RA) are the 2 main arterial conduits used in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The aim of this study was to analyze in vitro the vasoreactive properties in both vessels and to investigate the effects of pravastatin incubation on vascular function. IMA and RA rings obtained from patients undergoing CABG were studied in organ baths. We examined the contractile responses to phenylephrine and U46619 and the relaxation to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside. In another series of experiments, the vascular reactivity and the superoxide anion production were studied after incubation with pravastatin. The effect of mevalonic acid on such responses was also assessed. Our results show that RA significantly evoked greater tension in response to vasoconstrictor agents and higher relaxation to ACh than IMA. In contrast, relaxation induced by sodium nitroprusside was not significantly different. Incubation with pravastatin reduced the contractile response to U46619 and improved the endothelium-dependent relaxation to ACh in both arteries. Whereas the effect of pravastatin on response to U46619 was completely abolished by coincubation with mevalonic acid, only a partial inhibition on ACh relaxation was observed. In conclusion, in vitro incubation with pravastatin enhanced endothelial function in IMA and RA. This suggests that postoperative (may include intraoperative) administration of statins could improve the endothelial function of arterial grafts in patients undergoing CABG.
authors: Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors: Modar
authors: M
authors: Kassan
authors: María A
authors: MA
authors: Sevilla
authors: José M
authors: JM
authors: González-Santos
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: López-Rodríguez
authors: María J Dalmau
authors: MJ
authors: Sorlí
authors: María Bueno
authors: MB
authors: Codoñer
authors: María J
authors: MJ
authors: Montero
mesh_terms: D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008323:Mammary Arteries / Q000187:drug effects*; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000187:drug effects*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009599:Nitroprusside; D010656:Phenylephrine; D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; D017035:Pravastatin; D000109:Acetylcholine