Statin-Associated Cardiomyopathy Responds to Statin Withdrawal and Administration of Coenzyme Q₁₀

Heart failure (HF) is rapidly increasing in incidence and is often present in patients receiving long-term statin therapy.

To test whether or not patients with HF on long-term statin therapy respond to discontinuation of statin therapy and initiation of coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) supplementation.

We prospectively identified patients receiving long-term statin therapy in whom HF developed in the absence of any identifiable cause. Treatment consisted of simultaneous statin therapy discontinuation and CoQ₁₀ supplementation (average dosage = 300 mg/d).

Baseline and follow-up physical examination findings, symptom scores, echocardiograms, and plasma CoQ₁₀ and cholesterol levels.

Of 142 identified patients with HF, 94% presented with preserved ejection fraction (EF) and 6% presented with reduced EF (< 50%). After a mean follow-up of 2.8 years, New York Heart Association class 1 increased from 8% to 79% (p < 0.0001). In patients with preserved EF, 34% had normalization of diastolic function and 25% showed improvement (p < 0.0001). In patients with reduced EF at baseline, the EF improved from a mean of 35% to 47% (p = 0.02). Statin-attributable symptoms including fatigue, muscle weakness, myalgias, memory loss, and peripheral neuropathy improved (p < 0.01). The 1-year mortality was 0%, and the 3-year mortality was 3%.

In patients receiving long-term statin therapy, statin-associated cardiomyopathy may develop that responds safely to statin treatment discontinuation and CoQ₁₀ supplementation. Statin-associated cardiomyopathy may be a contributing factor to the current increasing prevalence of HF with preserved EF.