Effect of Atorvastatin on hemorheologic-hemostatic parameters and serum fibrinogen levels in hyperlipidemic patients

Plasma fibrinogen and hemorheologic-hemostatic factors contribute to dyslip idemia-induced morbidity. Some of these parameters can be favorably affecte d when abnormal serum lipoprotein levels are corrected. Thus, we investigat ed whether treatment with atorvastatin would result in changes in plasma vi scosity and other hemorheologic and hemostatic parameters. Twenty-two hyper lipidemic men at a university lipid clinic were treated single-blinded with atorvastatin 80 mg/day for 12 weeks to determine hemostatic-hemorheologic parameters including blood viscosity, fibrinogen levels, whole blood platel et aggregation, tissue plasminogen activator antigen, hematocrit, plasminog en activator inhibitor activity, factor VII activity, red blood cell (RBC) deformity and lipid ratio, sedimentation rate, and fasting serum lipoprotei n levels. Atorvastatin treatment provided significant lowering of serum lip oprotein levels: low-density lipoprotein -53% (p = 0.0001), very low densit y lipoprotein -43% (p = 0.0001), and triglycerides -35% (p <0.0001). These effects were accompanied by changes in plasma viscosity -10% (p = 0.0007), arachidonic acid-induced whole blood platelet aggregation -11% (p = 0.006), factor VII -8% (p = 0.001), RBC lipid composition +5% (p = 0.0003), and RB C sedimentation -33% (p = 0.0002). Plasma fibrinogen levels were not affect ed. Thus, atorvastatin 80 mg/day produced marked reductions in serum low-de nsity lipoproteiin cholesterol (-53%), very low density lipoprotein cholest erol (-43%), and triglycerides levels (-35%), and significant changes in pl asma viscosity as well as other hemorheologic-hemostatic parameters, but no changes in plasma fibrinogen levels. (C)2000 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.