title: Short-term effects of atorvastatin in normal dogs and dogs with congestive heart failure due to myxomatous mitral valve disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) may improve heart failure class and survival in people with congestive heart failure (CHF) of various etiologies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the tolerability of atorvastatin in healthy dogs, and the short-term effects of atorvastatin on clinical markers of disease severity, lipid profiles, and markers of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in dogs with CHF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven normal dogs and 12 client-owned animals with CHF attributable to myxomatous mitral valve disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective nonblinded observational study. Normal dogs (n = 11) were first treated with atorvastatin and re-evaluated after 14 and 30 days for clinical tolerability and alterations in certain laboratory results. Subsequently, dogs with CHF (n = 12) were treated with atorvastatin at a dosage of 2 mg/kg q24 h for 8 weeks. Echocardiography, blood pressure (BP), quality of life questionnaire, and blood sampling were performed pre and post atorvastatin administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atorvastatin was well tolerated and did not result in apparent adverse effects or biochemical abnormalities in healthy dogs and in dogs with CHF. Healthy dogs experienced a decrease in total cholesterol (TC) concentration (P = .03) after atorvastatin administration. Decreases in TC concentration (P = .02), non-HDL cholesterol concentration (P = .02), total white blood cell count (P = .03), neutrophils (P = .01), and systolic BP (P = .01) were noted in the CHF group after 8 weeks of atorvastatin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atorvastatin was well tolerated at clinically relevant doses in healthy dogs and dogs with CHF. Further investigation into the effects of statin treatment in dogs with CHF is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA. suzanne.cunningham@tufts.edu
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004285:Dogs; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin
keywords: C-reactive protein; Cardiomyopathy; Heart failure; Statin; Valvular disease