The Use of Alternate-Day Lovastatin in Hypercholesterolemic Men

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To quantitate the therapeutic effects of alternate-day lovastatin on serum lipoprotein values in a small group of men with primary hypercholesterolemia.

DESIGN:

Retrospective review of medical, pharmacy, and laboratory records. A paired Student's t-test was performed on absolute changes in lipoprotein values with an a priori p value less than or equal to 0.05 being statistically significant.

SETTING:

A lipid clinic within a tertiary care Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

PATIENTS:

Twenty men (mean age 62.5 ± 8.3 y) with mean ± SD baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration of 161.3 ± 21.9 mg/dL and triglyceride concentrations below 400 mg/dL.

INTERVENTION:

All patients had been prescribed lovastatin 20 mg every other day.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

The mean absolute and percent changes in lipoprotein values from baseline for patients receiving lovastatin 20 mg every other day and the percentage of patients attaining a target mean LDL-C concentration as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Panel Adult Treatment Panel II guidelines.

RESULTS:

Mean ± SD total cholesterol and LDL-C were significantly reduced by 32.4 ± 17.8 (14.0% ± 7.8%) and 34.1 ± 14.6 mg/dL (21.5% ± 9.7%), respectively. No significant changes were seen in high- density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglycerides. Four of 20 patients (20%) attained a goal LDL-C concentration.

CONCLUSIONS:

Lovastatin 20 mg every other day may effectively lower LDL-C in some elderly men, and target LDL-C concentrations may be obtained in some patients.