Intensive Statin Therapy May Partially
Reverse Plaque Build-up in Arteries
ATLANTA, GA, March 13, 2006 -- A study presented today at
the
American College of Cardiology's 55th Annual Scientific Session demonstrates,
for the first time, that very intensive
cholesterol lowering with a statin drug can regress (partially reverse) the buildup
of plaque in the coronary arteries. This finding has never before been observed
in a study using statin drugs, the
most commonly used cholesterol lowering treatment. Previous research had indicated
that intensive statin therapy could prevent the progression of coronary atherosclerosis,
or arterial
plaque build-up, but not actually reduce disease burden. ACC.06 is the premier
cardiovascular medical meeting, bringing together more than 30,000 cardiologists
to further breakthroughs in
cardiovascular medicine.
The intense statin therapy used in this study resulted in significant regression
of atherosclerosis as measured by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), a technique
in which a tiny
ultrasound probe is inserted into the coronary arteries to measure plaque. The
study showed that regression occurred for all three pre-specified IVUS measures
of disease burden. The mean
baseline LDL cholesterol of 130.4 mg/dL dropped to 60.8 mg/dL in the study patients,
an reduction of 53.2 percent. This is the largest reduction in cholesterol ever
observed in a major
statin outcome trial. Mean HDL cholesterol (43.1 mg/dL at baseline) increased
to 49.0 mg/dL, a 14.7 percent increase, which was also unprecedented. The arterial
plaque overall was reduced by
6.8 to 9.1% for the various measures of disease burden.
This study was known by
the acronym of ASTEROID (A Study To Evaluate the Effect of Rosuvastatin On Intravascular
Ultrasound-Derived Coronary
Atheroma Burden [ASTEROID]
Trial). The trial was conducted at 53 community and tertiary care centers in
the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. A total of 507 patients had
baseline intravascular ultrasound
(IVUS) examination and received 40 mg daily of rosuvastatin (brand name Crestor®).
IVUS provides a precise and reproducible method for determining the change in
plaque, or atheroma,
burden during treatment. Atherosclerosis progression was assessed at baseline
and after at 24
months of treatment.
"Previous similar studies with statins have shown slowing of coronary disease, but not
regression. This regimen significantly lowered bad cholesterol, and surprisingly, markedly
increased good cholesterol levels," said Steven Nissen, M.D., F.A.C.C., of the Cleveland Clinic
and lead author of the study. Dr. Nissen is also President-Elect of the American college of
Cardiology. "We conclude that very low LDL levels (below current guidelines), when
accompanied by raised HDL, can regress, or partially reverse, the plaque buildup in the coronary
arteries."
Dr. Nissen will present the results of the "Effect of Very Low LDL-C Levels on
Regression of Coronary Atherosclerosis: Results of the ASTEROID Trial" study on Monday,
March 13 at 2:20 p.m.
The American College of Cardiology (www.acc.org) represents the majority of board certified cardiovascular
physicians in the United States. Its mission is to advocate for quality cardiovascular care through education,
research, promotion, development and application of standards and guidelines- and to influence health care policy.
ACC.06 and the ACC inaugural i2 Summit, the first-ever meeting for interventional cardiologists, will bring
together more than 30,000 cardiologists and cardiovascular specialists to share the newest discoveries in the
treatment and prevention, while helping the ACC achieve its mission to address and improve issues in
cardiovascular medicine.
Source: American College of Cardiology |
