Plasma cortisol and testosterone in hypercholesterolaemia treated with clofibrate and lovastatin

Plasma testosterone and cortisol concentrations were measured in 32 familial heterozygous hypercholesterolaemic subjects, aged 40-45 years. The subjects were divided into two groups of 16, each containing eight men and eight women. The women had normal menstrual cycles. After a period on placebo, one group of patients was given 40 mg/day lovastatin and the other was given 1500 mg/day clofibrate. Both drugs significantly reduced the plasma cholesterol concentration, however, unlike clofibrate, lovastatin did not decrease plasma levels of testosterone and cortisol. The response to stimulation by adrenocorticotrophic hormone of plasma cortisol and urinary 17-hydroxy levels was significantly reduced by treatment with clofibrate, but unchanged by lovastatin. The different effects produced by the two drugs probably reflect different mechanisms and sites of action.