LDL-CHOLESTEROL LOWERING WITH ATORVASTATIN, ROSUVASTATIN AND SIMVASTATIN: RESULTS OF A RETROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction is key for cardiovascular disease prevention.
• Statins are primary lipid-lowering agents, but comparative real-world data in middle-income countries is scarce.
• Understanding statin effectiveness in routine practice is crucial for cardiovascular risk management.

Purpose of the Study:

• Compare the LDL-cholesterol-lowering efficacy of atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, and simvastatin.
• Evaluate the impact of adding ezetimibe to statin therapy on achieving LDL targets.
• Assess lipid management strategies in a primary health care setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study of 1,100 adult patients on statin therapy.
• Analysis of baseline and follow-up LDL-cholesterol levels.
• Statistical methods included ANOVA and logistic regression to compare statin effectiveness and identify predictors of target achievement.

Main Results:

• Rosuvastatin showed the highest LDL-C reduction, followed by atorvastatin; simvastatin was less effective (p<0.001).
• Combination therapy (statin + ezetimibe) significantly increased the likelihood of achieving LDL targets compared to statin monotherapy (p<0.01).
• Statin type and intensity were independent predictors of LDL-C reduction.

Conclusions:

• Rosuvastatin and atorvastatin demonstrate superior LDL-C reduction versus simvastatin in primary care.
• Ezetimibe combination therapy substantially enhances the probability of reaching therapeutic LDL goals.
• Findings support optimizing statin selection and combination therapy for cardiovascular risk reduction.