Fluvastatin reduces cardiac mortality in patients with coronary heart disease.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To test the effectiveness of fluvastatin, 40-80 mg, in reducing the occurrence of cardiac and all-cause mortality in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

METHODS:

Meta-analysis of all clinical trials that assessed the effects of fluvastatin in CHD patients on major adverse cardiac events (MACE) as a prespecified endpoint was performed. A pooled analysis of four studies (n = 3525) was performed on an intent-to-treat basis. Clinical endpoints were the incidence, and time to first occurrence, of MACE (cardiac death, nonfatal MI, revascularization), noncardiac death, or all-cause death. Lipid parameters were also analyzed.

RESULTS:

Fluvastatin treatment significantly prolonged the time to cardiac death (p = 0.0174) and the time to cardiac death or nonfatal MI (p = 0.0055) compared with placebo. Fluvastatin significantly reduced the risk of any MACE (Cox risk ratio [RR], 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73-0.98), cardiac death (RR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.31-0.90), cardiac death or MI (RR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.49-0.89), all-cause death (RR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45-0.94) and all-cause death or MI (RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.53-0.90). Fluvastatin significantly lowered total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and was well tolerated, with no cases of rhabdomyolysis in any of the studies assessed in the meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS:

This meta-analysis demonstrates clear beneficial effects of fluvastatin on cardiac and all-cause mortality in CHD patients, and supports the use of fluvastatin to reduce the incidence of MACE in a wide range of at-risk patients.

• Authors: Christie M Ballantyne, Günter Riegger, Nicholas Moore, Francesco Saia, Patrick W J C Serruys
• Journal: Cardiovascular drugs and therapy (Cardiovasc Drugs Ther) Vol. 18 Issue 1 Pg. 67-75 (Jan 2004) ISSN: 0920-3206 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15115905 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated
• Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
• Indoles
• Fluvastatin

Topics

• Aged
• Coronary Disease (complications, drug therapy, mortality)
• Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Fluvastatin
• Humans
• Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Indoles (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Myocardial Infarction (etiology, mortality, prevention & control)