[Use of statins in children]

In the last decade treatment of hyperlipidemia has changed substantially due to the use of statins, a group of drugs that inhibit the enzyme hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme-A-reductase (HMG-CoA reductase). Its use has been proven to be efficient and safe in adults, and could also be of benefit in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in children. Up to date, six of these drugs have been used in children: lovastatin, fluvastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin and more recently, rosuvastatin. In some of these studies the follow-up has been up to three years and, as regards their use during childhood, we can conclude that they are safe as well as efficient in reducing the blood levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C).