EFFECT OF MEDICATION WITH PRAVASTATIN SODIUM ON HEMORHEOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERLIPOPROTEINEMIA

Pravastatin sodium, a newly developed potent synthesis inhibitor of HM G-CoA (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutarylcocarboxylase-A) reductase (San kyo Co., Ltd., Japan) was medicated, 10-15 mg/day (mean: 11.1 mg/day) for 10.2 weeks in mean, in 14 patients with primary hyperlipoproteinem ia of more than 230 mg/dl of serum cholesterol levels (mean age: 56.9 v.o.). The values of serum cholesterol decreased (from 242 +/- 12 to 2 07 +/- 22; mg/dl), and of high density lipoprotein (HDL) increased (fr om 42.3 +/- 8.8 to 45.3 +/- 9.2; mg/dl) significantly (p<0.05, respect ively) 10.2 weeks in mean after medication with pravastatin sodium. Th e whole blood viscosity, at every shear rate examined, corrected blood viscosity, for the standard hematocrit level of 45%, and plasma fibri nogen decreased significantly (p<0.05, respectively) at the same time, without showing significant differences any more 10.2 weeks in mean a fter medication with those in 14 elderly normal subjects (mean age: 56 .7 y.o.), which suggested that the hemorheological parameters in patie nts with primary hyperlipoproteinemia had improved significantly by me dication with pravastatin sodium.