Clinical beneficial effects of simvastatin on carotid atherosclerotic plaques in different doses

AIM: To investigate the clinical beneficial effects of simvastatin on carotid atheros clerotic plaques in different doses. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-four patients with hypercholesterolemia were randomly a s signed to simvastatin 10 mg·d~(-1), simvastatin 20 mg·d~(-1) and control groups. The levels of total cholesterol( TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), carotid plaques and intima-m edi a thickness(IMT) were measured before and after 6 mo treatment. RESULTS: The reduced levels of TC and LDL-C in simvastatin 20 mg group were ( 2.4±(0.8) mmol·L~(-1)),(2.1±(0.8)) mmol·L~(-1), in simvastatin 10 mg group were(1.8 ±0.6) mmol·L~(-1),((1.0±)(0.4)) mmol·L~(-1). The two groups with two dif ferent doses simvastatin reduced TC and LDL-C significantly(P0.01). Ther e were significant differences in LDL-C and TC levels existing between simvasta tin (20 mg) group with simvastatin 10 mg group (P(0.01)). Simvastatin 20 mg g roup had a significant effect on decreasing carotid plaques and IMT(P(0.0 5) ). There were no distinct changes shown about carotid plaques i n simvastatin 10 mg group and the control group(P0.05). CONCLUSION: Treatment with two different doses of simvastatin can reduce the levels of LDL- C and TC, but simvastatin 20 mg can further resolve the carotid atherosclerotic plaques.