Jt. Christenson, Preoperative lipid control with simvastatin reduces the risk for graft failure already 1 year after myocardial revascularization, CARDIOV SUR, 9(1), 2001, pp. 33-43
Hypercholesterolemia is a recognized risk factor for development of atheros
clerosis in both native coronary arteries and bypass grafts. Lipid-lowering
therapy with statins is effective. Few data are available for studies on b
ypass grafts. The influence of hypercholesterolemia on development of bypas
s graft disease was studied.
Clinical and angiographic follow up 1 yr after CABG of patients with a preo
perative cholesterol > 6.2 mmol/l, with a preoperative lipid control (group
2) or controls (group 1) and patients with cholesterol < 4.7 mmol/l (group
3) were studied. Patient demographics, angiography and operation data-were
the same in all the groups.
Group 1 patients had significantly higher incidence of graft lesions, requi
ring more interventions than Group 2, Sequential vein bypass grafts showed
superior features compared to single vein grafts.
Preoperative lipid control with statins is strongly recommended, since unco
ntrolled hypercholesterolemia has a direct impact on the outcome of CABG pr
ocedure. It significantly reduces the development of vein graft obstructive
disease. (C) 2001 The International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery, Pu
blished by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.