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Hypotensive effects of statins. A place for hydrogen sulfide in the puzzle?

Bogdan Wiliński1, Jerzy Wiliński, Eugeniusz Somogyi

  • 1Zakład Biologii Rozwoju Człowieka, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu, Universytet Jagielloński Collegium Medicum, Kraków, Poland. bowil@interia.pl

Folia Medica Cracoviensia
|August 16, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Statins, used to lower cholesterol, may also reduce blood pressure. This review explores how atorvastatin increases hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels in kidneys, potentially contributing to blood pressure reduction.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Nephrology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, known as statins, are primary treatments for cardiovascular diseases.
  • Clinical studies suggest statins can lower blood pressure, particularly in hypertensive patients.
  • Pleiotropic effects of statins, beyond lipid-lowering, are increasingly recognized for their impact on cardiovascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the pleiotropic effects of statins influencing blood pressure.
  • To present recent findings on the role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in cardiovascular and kidney function.
  • To highlight atorvastatin's effect on kidney H2S concentration.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical trial data on statins and blood pressure.
  • Analysis of recent research on hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in cardiovascular and renal physiology.
  • Focus on studies investigating atorvastatin's impact on tissue H2S levels.

Main Results:

  • Statins significantly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
  • Evidence indicates statins possess blood pressure-lowering properties, especially in hypertensive individuals.
  • Atorvastatin has been shown to increase hydrogen sulfide (H2S) tissue concentration in the kidneys.

Conclusions:

  • Statins offer cardiovascular benefits and may contribute to blood pressure regulation.
  • Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) plays a role in cardiovascular and kidney physiology.
  • Atorvastatin's ability to increase renal H2S may represent a novel mechanism for its antihypertensive effects.

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