Letter to the Editor

Effect of Statins on Low-density lipoprotein Size: A New Role in Cardiovascular Prevention?

Authors: Manfredi Rizzo, MD, PHD, Kasper Berneis, MD

Abstract

To the Editor:Cardiovascular diseases still represent the first cause of death in most of the industrialized countries. An effective prevention includes the treatment of a series of risk factors: smoking, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemia.1 Statins represent a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs as inhibitors of the hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase enzyme which catalyzes one of the first steps of the cholesterol metabolic pathway. This class of drugs has been used in a very large number of patients, in both primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention, for its ability to reduce clinical events linked to atherosclerosis, including acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, coronary revascularization procedures, cardiac death, stroke, symptoms of peripheral arterial disease and total mortality.1

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References

1. National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) final report. Circulation 2002;106:3143–3421.
 
2. Rizzo M, Berneis K. Low-density lipoprotein size and cardiovascular risk assessment. QJM2006;99:1–14.
 
3. Griffin BA, Caslake MJ, Yip B, et al. Rapid isolation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) subfractions from plasma by density gradient ultracentrifugation. Atherosclerosis 1990;83:59–67.
 
4. Rizzo M, Berneis K, Corrado E, Novo S. The significance of low-density-lipoproteins size in vascular diseases. Int Angiol 2006;25:4–9.
 
5. Rizzo M, Berneis K. Should we measure routinely the LDL peak particle size? Int J Cardiol2006;107:166–170.