REDUCTION OF LDL CHOLESTEROL BY 25-PERCEN T TO 60-PERCENT IN PATIENTSWITH PRIMARY HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA BY ATORVASTATIN, A NEW HMG-COA REDUCTASE INHIBITOR

This 6-week, double-blind clinical trial evaluated lipid parameter res ponses to different dosages of atorvastatin in patients,vith primary h ypercholesterolemia. Atorvastatin is a new 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor under development, After comp leting an 8-week placebo-baseline dietary phase, 81 patients were rand omly assigned to receive either placebo or 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 or 80 mg atorvastatin once daily for 6 weeks, Plasma LDL cholesterol reduction s from baseline were dose related, with 25% to 61% reduction from the minimum dose to the maximum dose of 80 mg atorvastatin once a day, Pla sma total cholesterol and apo B reductions were also dose related, Pre viously, reductions in LDL cholesterol of the magnitude observed in th is study have been seen only with combination drug therapy, In this st udy, atorvastatin was well tolerated by hyperlipidemic patients, had a n acceptable safety profile, and provided greater reduction in cholest erol than other previously reported HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.