Comparison of the effects of pravastatin and lovastatin on sleep disturbance in hypercholesterolemic subjects

We have studied the effects of two cholesterol-lowering medications, lovast atin and pravastatin, on different sleep parameters in hypercholesterolemic subjects. These medications are 3-hydroxy-methylglutaryl coenzyme A inhibi tors. Only subjects who had complained of sleep disturbance while on previo us treatment with lovastatin were enrolled. Sixteen subjects (11 men and 5 women) underwent a randomized. double-blind, three-way crossover treatment with lovastatin, pravastatin, and placebo. Each phase of the study lasted 4 weeks. A placebo wash-out period of 4 weeks separated each treatment phase . At the end of each treatment phase, subjects were admitted to the sleep l aboratory for 2 consecutive nights. No statistical differences were detecte d during treatment with lovastatin, pravastatin, and placebo for sleep para meters such as total sleep time, total awake time, wake time after sleep on set, efficiency of sleep, and percent of different phases of sleep. Our stu dy suggests that lovastatin and pravastatin do not have a significant effec t on sleep parameters in hypercholesterolemic subjects that could explain t heir complaints of insomnia. Nevertheless, the subjects did have moderate s leep disturbances that could account for insomnia and most likely predate t he use of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.