EFFECT OF HMG-COA REDUCTASE INHIBITORS ON PLASMA POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACID CONCENTRATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERLIPIDEMIA

We investigated the effect of 12 months' HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor t reatment on plasma polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations in 19 pat ients with hyperlipidemia. Arachidonic acid concentrations were signif icantly increased following treatment (from 110.1 +/- 20.4 mg/l to 129 .2+/-31.6 mg/l, P<0.05). The ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid to arachid onic acid was significantly decreased at the end of 12 months' treatme nt (from 0.702 +/- 0.370 to 0.541+/-0.204, P<0.05). These results sugg est that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors may increase the synthesis of me tabolites from arachidonic acid in patients with hyperlipidemia, and t hat the addition of fish oil is more effective for the prevention of c oronary heart disease than HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors alone.