Statin therapy leads to worsening of left ventricular diastolic function in 71% of patients

This study was published in the American Journal of Cardiology2004 Nov 15;94(10):1306-10

Study title and authors:

Effect of atorvastatin on left ventricular diastolic function and ability of coenzyme Q10 to reverse that dysfunction.

Silver MA, Langsjoen PH, Szabo S, Patil H, Zelinger A.

Heart Failure Institute, Department of Medicine, Advocate Christ Medical Center, University of Illinois/Christ Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program, Oak Lawn, Illinois 60453, USA. marc.silver@advocatehealth.com

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15541254

This study evaluated left ventricular diastolic function before and after statin therapy. Impaired left ventricular diastolic function plays an important role in increasing the risk of congestive heart failure. Three diastolic function markers (E/A ratio, deceleration time, and isovolumetric relaxation time) were measured in 14 patients aged 51 to 79 years who completed three to six months of statin therapy. Worsening diastolic function was defined as a 10% decrease in the E/A ratio, a 10% increase in deceleration time, or a 10% increase in the isovolumetric relaxation time.

 

The study found that 71% of the patients had worsening of at least one marker of left ventricular diastolic function.

Silver concludes: "For more than a decade, there has been a suggestion of impairment of diastolic function after the administration of statins and our findings suggest that this may be a common event and potentially a precursor to symptoms associated with ventricular dysfunction".

 

 

Links to other studies:

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