[Evidence-based grounds of the efficacy of simvastatin (zocor): 15 years later].

The review describes the history of hypolipidemic therapy with statins. It gives the results of studies of the primary prevention of atherosclerosis and the treatment of hyperlipidemias with lovastatin, pravastatin, and fluvastatin. Emphasis is laid on trial data on the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of simvastatin (zocor). The results of studies, including regression ones, of this drug in different doses, controlled by biochemical, clinical, magnet resonance imaging, and ultrasonic data are summarized. There is a significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular, coronary, and overall deaths and in that of stroke. There is evidence for the successful use of simvastatin (zocor) in combined therapy with fibrates, nicotinic acid, and ezetrol.

[Assessment of myocardial viability by dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients with ischemic heart disease]. / Otsenka zhiznesposobnosti miokarda metodom stress-ékhokardiografii s dobutaminom u bol'nykh ishemicheskoi bolezn'iu serdtsa.

Detection of viable (hibernating) myocardium is necessary for determination of prognosis and tactics of treatment of patients with ischemic heart disease. For detection of viable myocardium and investigation of possibilities of its restoration 60 patients with ischemic heart disease (54 men, mean age 52+/-8 years) were examined before coronary artery bypass grafting or coronary angioplasty. Presence of viable myocardium was characteristic for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (83%) with stenoses >90%, with well developed collateral circulation (81%). Sustained restoration of contractility of hibernating segments for 1 year after revascularization was noted in 70% of cases. Dobutamine stress echocardiography was found to have high diagnostic potential for detection of viable myocardium.