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Published on: November 10, 2017

Simvastatin preserves diastolic function in experimental hypercholesterolemia independently of its lipid lowering

Dallit Mannheim1, Joerg Herrmann, Piero O Bonetti

  • 1Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.

Atherosclerosis
|March 19, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Simvastatin prevents diastolic dysfunction in hypercholesterolemia by reducing myocardial fibrosis and promoting angiogenesis, independent of its lipid-lowering effects.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Pharmacology
  • Experimental Medicine

Background:

  • Diastolic dysfunction affects 40% of heart failure patients.
  • It is linked to myocardial fibrosis and cardiovascular risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if simvastatin improves diastolic dysfunction in experimental hypercholesterolemia (HC).

Main Methods:

  • Pigs were fed normal, HC, or HC with simvastatin diets for 12 weeks.
  • Cardiac function was assessed using electron beam computed tomography (EBCT).
  • Myocardial vascular fraction and collagen content were quantified.

Main Results:

  • Simvastatin treatment restored cardiac early diastolic filling in HC pigs.
  • Myocardial collagen content was reduced by simvastatin.
  • Simvastatin decreased myocardial vascular fraction, suggesting reduced angiogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • Simvastatin prevents diastolic dysfunction in experimental HC, independent of lipid reduction.
  • Beneficial effects are partly due to decreased myocardial fibrosis and angiogenesis.
Abstract

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