OBJECTIVEStatins are still underused for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in China. Hence, we conducted a systemic review on the pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and adverse events of atorvastatin, as well as on patient adherence.

DATA SOURCESWe conducted a systemic search in PubMed with the following keywords: "atorvastatin" (Supplementary concept) or "atorvastatin" (All field) and ("China" [AD] or "China" [all field] or "Chinese" [All field]).

STUDY SELECTIONClinical or basic research articles on atorvastatin were included.

RESULTSAtorvastatin is a reversible and competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, decreasing the de novo cholesterol synthesis. The pharmacokinetics of atorvastatin among Chinese is similar to those in Caucasians, and several gene polymorphisms have proved to be associated with the metabolism of atorvastatin in the Chinese population. Several international multiple-center randomized control trials have demonstrated the benefit of atorvastatin for primary and secondary prevention of CVD. None of them, however, included the Chinese, and current evidence in the population is still inadequate, due to the small sample size, low study quality, short study duration, and the use of surrogate endpoints instead of clinical endpoints. The overall incidence of adverse events observed with atorvastatin did not increase in the 10-80 mg dose range, and was similar to that observed with placebo and in patients treated with other statins, which makes atorvastatin well-tolerated in the Chinese population. Moreover, high patient adherence was observed in clinical studies.

CONCLUSIONSBased on the current available evidence, there is no significant difference between Chinese and non-Chinese population in term of pharmacology and clinical efficacy/safety. High-quality evidence is still needed to support the use of atorvastatin in high-risk Chinese population.

Atorvastatin Calcium ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; drug therapy ; China ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo assess the safety and efficacy of 40 mg daily atorvastatin in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

METHODSA total of 1102 patients with AMI admitted to our hospital from 2003 to 2007 were assigned to atorvastatin 40 mg daily within 24 hours of hospitalization and continued till 3 months post discharge. Patients with LDL-C < 2.0 mmol/L or increased liver enzyme level (3 times higher than normal) at discharge received atorvastatin 20 mg daily. Lipid profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, liver enzyme level were measured at admission, hospital discharge and 3 months after discharge.

RESULTS(1)The mean hospitalization duration was (10.17 +/- 1.83) days. LDL-C was continuously decreased [(3.24 +/- 1.04) mmol/L at admission, (2.27 +/- 2.00) mmol/L at discharge and (1.48 +/- 0.78) mmol/L at 3 months after discharge, all P < 0.05]. HDL-C decreased from (1.45 +/- 0.38) mmol/L to (1.20 +/- 0.30) mmol/L at hospital discharge, then increased to (1.65 +/- 1.79) mmol/L at 3 months after hospital discharge (all P < 0.05). TC and apoB were also significantly decreased from admission to discharge (all P < 0.05). (2) high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level significantly decreased from admission to hospital discharge and at 1 months after hospital discharge [(49.71 +/- 50.46) mg/L vs. (8.80 +/- 17.66) mg/L vs. (2.61 +/- 2.30) mg/L, all P < 0.05]. (3) Increased ALT > 120 U/L (3 times higher than normal) were found in 127(11.25%), AST > 120 U/L were found in 26(2.40%) patients at discharge. There were still 4 patients with increased ALT (> 120 U/L) at 1 months after discharge and all returned to normal at 3 months after discharge.

CONCLUSIONIntensive atorvastatin therapy with a dose of 40 mg daily is safe and effective for patients with AMI.

Aged ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Female ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

To know the characteristics of Shuxuening injection used on cerebral infarction patients in clinical practice, 6 053 cases of Hospital information system (HIS) data from 20 hospitals were analyzed. Using the basic description method and association rules to analysis the data. By analysis the data we found that the average age of cerebral infarction patients who used Shuxuening injection is 67.96, 83.94% of patients were aged 46-80. The injection is administered intravenously,with most patients receiving a dosage of 15-20 mL per dose for between 1 and 14 days. It is always combined with aspirin (48.508%), cinepazide maleate injection (22.073%), atorvastatin calcium tablets (18.873%) in clinical practice. When it comes to two drug combinations, it always combined with cinepazide maleate injection and aspirin (8.178%), nicergoline capsules and aspirin (7.63%). Therefore, based on existing data, we give the conclusion that for the treatment of cerebral infarction Shuxuening injection is mainly used for older patients, and is often combination with similar pharmacological effects chemical drugs, which is complied with the guidelines. However, the wrong dose is still exist, doctors should realize the hiding risk.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anticoagulants ; therapeutic use ; Aspirin ; therapeutic use ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Cerebral Infarction ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Piperazines ; therapeutic use ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of different doses of atorvastatin on the serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecules-1 (sICAM-1) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: The study consisted of 38 patients with unstable angina and 10 patients with old infarction who underwent elected PCI for stenotic lesions of the coronary artery. Patients were randomly assigned to either aggressive group or conventional one. After PCI the patients took atorvastatin 20 mg per day or 10 mg per day. Blood lipid profile was examined before, and 3 months after the PCI. SICAM-1 was examined before the PCI, 48 hours and 3 months after the PCI. RESULTS: The total cholesterol and LDL-Cholesterol 3 months after the PCI in the 2 groups were lower than those before the PCI (P<0.01). The aggressive group showed greater reduction in concentrations of TC and LDL-C than the conventional group (P<0.01). The changes in concentrations of HDL-C between pre-PCI and 3 months after the PCI and TG were not obvious (P>0.05). sICAM-1 in the 2 groups 48 hours after the PCI significantly higher than that before the PCI (P<0.01). But sICAM-1 in the 2 groups 3 months after the PCI significantly lower than that before the PCI (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The aggressive group showed greater reduction than the conventional group (P<0.01). TC and LDL-C were positively correlated with sICAM-1(r=0.2413, r=0.2691, all P<0.05). CONCLUSION Atorvastatin 20 mg per day reduces TC, LDL-C, and sICAM-1 to a greater extent than atorvastatin 10 mg per day. The effect on sICAM-1 is partly related to reduce lipid profile.
Aged ; Atorvastatin ; Female ; Heptanoic Acids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Pyrroles ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUNDThe plasma cystatin C concentration (PcyC) has been demonstrated to have prognostic value in acute coronary syndrome, but the study of PcyC in patients with borderline coronary lesions is limited. Moreover, the effects of atorvastatin and probucol on PcyC and the severity of coronary lesions are unknown. This study was to evaluate the effects of the combination of atorvastatin and probucol on PcyC and severity of coronary lesion in patients with borderline coronary lesions.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty consecutive patients with borderline coronary lesions (40% to 60% isolated single stenosis assessed by quantitative coronary angiography) were enrolled into the borderline coronary lesion (BCL) group, and one hundred and thirty-six subjects without coronary lesions comprised the controls (CTR). The subjects in the BCL group were randomized into routine treatment (RTT, n = 60), and combined treatment with atorvastatin 20 mg plus probucol 1.0 g daily added to routine medication (CBT, n = 70), both groups were treated for 6 months continuously. The levels of PcyC, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) were determined. One hundred and four subjects in the BCL group were rechecked by coronary angiography.

RESULTSPcyC levels were significantly higher in the BCL group than in the CTR group; (2003.26 ± 825.73) ng/ml vs. (1897.83 ± 664.46) ng/ml (P < 0.01). Compared with patients in the RTT group, the levels of PcyC, TC, LDL-C, TG and hs-CRP were significantly lower in the CBT group (P < 0.05). Moreover, there was a trend towards a slight decrease in the RTT patients, (54.38 ± 10.67)% vs. (50.29 ± 9.89)% (P > 0.05), and a significant decrease in the CBT patients, (53.65 ± 9.48%) vs. (40.38 ± 12.93)% (P < 0.05), in the mean percent stenosis of borderline coronary lesions before and after six months of treatment.

CONCLUSIONSCystatin C played an important role in the development of coronary artery disease, and was associated with the severity of coronary lesions. The combination of atorvastatin and probucol decreased PcyC levels, and could be the treatment of choice.

Aged ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cystatin C ; blood ; Female ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Probucol ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use

To investigate the effect of atorvastatin on lipid metabolism in type 2 elder diabetes patients with hyperlipidemia, 26 patients with type 2 elder diabetes complicated with hyperlipidemia were treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/d) for 8 weeks. The serum triglyceride (TG), high density protein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density protein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured before and after the treatment. Meanwhile, the non-denaturing polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis was used for detection of small-sized LDL(SLDL). Our results showed that TG dropped from 4.88 +/- 0.72 mmol/L to 2.65 +/- 0.32 mmol/L; HDL-C was increased from 0.85 +/- 0.31 mmol/L to 1.28 +/- 0.29 mmol/L; LDL-C was declined from 3.71 +/- 2.98 mmol/L to 2.10 +/- 1.22 mmol/L, sLDL-A was increased from (42.49 +/- 8.1)% to (53.27 +/- 7.5)%; LDL-B was decreased from (57.91 +/- 8.1)% to (46.73 +/- 7.5% ) (P<0.05). The level of blood glucose was not changed at the end of 8th week. It is concluded that atorvastatin has satisfactory lipid-regulating effects on type 2 elder diabetes patients with hyperlipidemia.
Anticholesteremic Agents/*therapeutic use ; Cholesterol, HDL/blood ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*complications ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy ; Heptanoic Acids/*therapeutic use ; Hyperlipidemias/complications ; Hyperlipidemias/*drug therapy ; Pyrroles/*therapeutic use ; Triglycerides/blood

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of atorfastatin on the cognitive function of patients with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and different apolipoprotein E genotypes.

METHODSThe ApoE polymorphism was genotyped by PCR sequencing and the patients were divided into Eepsilon4 carrier (epsilon4+) group (n=24) and epsilon4- group (n=51). All the patients were given 20 mg oral atorfastatin every evening. The indices of TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, as well as the scores of MMSE and clock-drawing test were compared between the two groups before and 24 weeks after the treatment.

RESULTSCompared with those without epsilon4 allele, epsilon4+ patients had obviously increased plasma LDL level and lowered scores of MMSE. Plasma TC, TG and LDL-C were decreased significantly in the two groups after the treatment, and the improvement of TC was greater in patients without epsilon4 allele. The scores of MMSE increased significantly in patients with epsilon4 allele. The improvement in the scores of MMSE and clock-drawing test was greater in epsilon4+ group than in epsilon4- group.

CONCLUSIONAtorfastatin may improve the cognitive function in patients with VCI carrying epsilon4 allele, the effect of which may not be related to lowed blood lipids.

Aged ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Cognition Disorders ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Dementia, Vascular ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroprotective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of statin use on coronary flow reserve (CFR) in patients with slow coronary flow.

METHODSA total of 91 patients with chest pain and coronary slow flow but normal coronary angiography were included in this study, patients were divided into statin group (atorvastatin 20 mg/d for 8 weeks, n = 51) and non-statin group (n = 40), 26 healthy subjects with normal angiography and negative exercise ECG test served as normal controls. Blood cholesterol was measured. Doppler coronary flow velocity and Doppler reserve measurement of distal left anterior descending were recorded at rest and adenosine infusion (140 microgxkg(-1)xmin(-1)) induced hyperemia state, CFR was calculated by the ratio of maximal hyperemia and baseline peak diastolic coronary flow velocity (hCFV and bCFV) before and after atorvastatin treatment.

RESULTS(1) Eight weeks later, total cholesterol and LDL-C levels were significantly lower in statin group than in non-statin group and control group [TC (3.83 +/- 0.80) mmol/L vs. (5.30 +/- 1.18) mmol/L vs. (5.32 +/- 1.17) mmol/L, P < 0.05; LDL-C (2.26 +/- 0.64) mmol/L vs. (3.28 +/- 0.85) mmol/L vs. (3.30 +/- 0.82) mmol/L, P < 0.05]. (2)Baseline CFR levels were significantly lower in statin group and non-statin group than that in control group (2.32 +/- 0.30 vs. 2.25 +/- 0.33 vs. 3.15 +/- 0.34, P < 0.05). Compared with non-statin group and statin group before treatment, 8 weeks statin treatment was associated with reduced bCFV [(26.06 +/- 3.22) cm/s vs. (29.02 +/- 3.36) cm/s and (26.06 +/- 3.22) cm/s vs. (28.43 +/- 3.40) cm/s, P < 0.05], increased hCFV [(77.63 +/- 8.96) cm/s vs. (65.17 +/- 7.22) cm/s and (77.63 +/- 8.96) cm/s vs. (64.58 +/- 6.26) cm/s, P < 0.05] and increased CFR (3.07 +/- 0.29 vs. 2.28 +/- 0.35 and 3.07 +/- 0.29 vs. 2.32 +/- 0.30, P < 0.05). bCFV, hCFV and CFR of statin group post treatment were similar to those of controls (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPatients with coronary slow flow were associated with lower CFR which could be significantly improved by statin therapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Female ; Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use

To investigate the effect of atorvastatin on lipid metabolism in type 2 elder diabetes patients with hyperlipidemia, 26 patients with type 2 elder diabetes complicated with hyperlipidemia were treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/d) for 8 weeks. The serum triglyceride (TG), high density protein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density protein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured before and after the treatment. Meanwhile, the non-denaturing polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis was used for detection of small-sized LDL(SLDL). Our results showed that TG dropped from 4.88 +/- 0.72 mmol/L to 2.65 +/- 0.32 mmol/L; HDL-C was increased from 0.85 +/- 0.31 mmol/L to 1.28 +/- 0.29 mmol/L; LDL-C was declined from 3.71 +/- 2.98 mmol/L to 2.10 +/- 1.22 mmol/L, sLDL-A was increased from (42.49 +/- 8.1)% to (53.27 +/- 7.5)%; LDL-B was decreased from (57.91 +/- 8.1)% to (46.73 +/- 7.5% ) (P<0.05). The level of blood glucose was not changed at the end of 8th week. It is concluded that atorvastatin has satisfactory lipid-regulating effects on type 2 elder diabetes patients with hyperlipidemia.
Aged ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; drug therapy ; Female ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the expressions of CD55 and CD59 in patients with hyperlipidemia and the effects of atorvastatin on it, and to identify the possible influential factors.

METHODSWe selected 67 patients with hyperlipidemia, and 24 healthy people matched in terms of age, sex and body weight as control. The expressions of CD55 and CD59 on white blood cells were detected by flow cytometry, and their relationships to blood lipids, complement activation indexes (C(5a), sC(5b-9)), inflammatory factors (high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), TNF-alpha, IL-6 were analyzed. 24 patients with hyperlipidemia were treated with atorvastatin for 8-12 weeks and the expressions of CD55 and CD59 were measured before and after atorvastatin therapy.

RESULTSThe mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD55 lymphocytes and monocytes were decreased in patients with hyperlipidemia compared with control (2.07 +/- 0.28 vs 2.29 +/- 0.44 and 3.45 +/- 1.02 vs 4.33 +/- 2.32, P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). CD55 positive lymphocyte MFI was negatively correlated with waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, hsCRP and C(5a). C(5a) was negatively correlated with the MFIs of CD55 positive lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, and positively with TG and diastolic blood pressure. After atorvastatin therapy, the MFIs of CD59 positive lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes increased (4.34 +/- 1.16 vs 3.69 +/- 0.76, 4.52 +/- 1.36 vs 3.91 +/- 0.89, 5.67 +/- 1.72 vs 4.56 +/- 1.03, P < 0.05, < 0.05 and < 0.01 respectively), which were not correlated with changes of blood lipids.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of CD55 is down-regulated in hyperlipidemia, which might be influenced by obesity, abdominal distribution of adipose tissue and inflammatory status of hyperlipidemia, but not by blood lipids. The expression of CD55 is related with complement activation; The expression of CD59 is up-regulated after atorvastatin treatment independently of blood lipids.

Aged ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; CD55 Antigens ; metabolism ; CD59 Antigens ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Complement Activation ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; immunology ; metabolism ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use