Efficacy and tolerability of fluvastatin in hypercholesterolemic Pakistani patients

ABSTRACT

The efficacy, safety and tolerability of fluvastatin was assessed in a group of 25 Pakistani subjects maintained on a lipid-lowering diet and having baseline total cholesterol > 240 mg/dl. Fluvastatin was given in a dose of 20 mg/day for 6 weeks and the subjects reassessed. 20 patients completed the trial. These included 14 diabetics, 6 hypertensive and 9 with ischemic heart disease. There was a mean reduction of total cholesterol of 17.5 percent for the whole group [basal value 293.5 +/- 5.11 SEM vs. 6 week value 240.5 +/- 7.29 SEM] which was highly significant [p < 0.001]. The diabetic group was analyzed separately and showed a mean reduction of total cholesterol of 14.5 percent [basal value 288.7 +/- 3.62 vs. 6 week value 246.2 +/- 9.39 SEM] which was also significant [p=0.001]. The drug was well tolerated with only one subject complaining of myalgia. There was no incidence of significant rise in CPK, SGOT, or creatinine and the drug was not withdrawn in any subject