This study was published in the American Journal of Cardiology
2004 Nov 15;94(10):1306-10
Study title and authors:
Effect of atorvastatin
on left ventricular diastolic function and ability of coenzyme Q10 to reverse
that dysfunction.
Silver MA, Langsjoen PH, Szabo
S, Patil H, Zelinger A.
Heart Failure Institute,
Department of Medicine, Advocate Christ Medical Center, University of
Illinois/Christ Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program, Oak Lawn, Illinois
60453, USA. marc.silver@advocatehealth.com
This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15541254
This study evaluated left
ventricular diastolic function before and after statin therapy. Impaired
left ventricular diastolic function plays an important role in increasing the
risk of congestive heart failure. Three diastolic function markers (E/A ratio, deceleration time, and isovolumetric
relaxation time) were measured in 14 patients aged 51 to 79 years who completed three to six
months of statin therapy. Worsening diastolic function was defined as a 10%
decrease in the E/A ratio, a 10% increase in deceleration time, or a 10%
increase in the isovolumetric relaxation time.
The study found
that 71% of the patients had worsening of at least one marker of left ventricular diastolic
function.
Silver concludes: "For more than a decade, there has
been a suggestion of impairment of diastolic function after the administration
of statins and our findings suggest that this may be a common event and
potentially a precursor to symptoms associated with ventricular
dysfunction".
Links to other studies: