EFFECTS OF LOVASTATIN (MEVACOR) ON PLATEL ET-FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY HEART-DISEASE CONCURRENT WITH CHOLESTEROLEMIA

The impact of a 4-week course of lovastatin (mevacor) therapy on plate let function was examined in 26 patients with coronary heart disease c oncurrent with hypercholesterolemia (the baseline plasma cholesterol l evel was 250 mg% or more). The agent was given in a daily dose of 20-4 0 mg. The agent in this dose was found to have no action on the thromb oxane-prostacyclin balance in plasma, on the degree of ADP-induced agg regation and lipid peroxidation in platelets, phopholipid composition and levels of ester-bound cholesterol in platelet membranes. Free chol esterol tended to increase at the end of the 4th week of treatment. De spite the effective reduction of plasma levels of total and LDL choles terols whose action on platelets is well known, there was no estimated decrease in the activity of platelets during lovastatin therapy.