The Antihypertensive Actions of Statins: Modulation by Salt Intake

Hydroxy methyl glutaryl CoA inhibitors (statins) are the agents most frequently used to reduce elevated serum cholesterol. In addition to their cholesterol lowering effects, statins also have nonlipid lowering pleiotropic properties. These include reducing oxidative stress, renin-angiotensin and end...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of hypertension 2012-11, Vol.25 (11), p.1140-1148
Main Authors: Juncos, Luis I., Juncos, Luis A., García, Nestor H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antihypertensive agents
Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use
Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension
Biological and medical sciences
Blood and lymphatic vessels
Blood Pressure - drug effects
Cardiology. Vascular system
Cardiovascular system
Cholesterol - blood
Humans
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - therapeutic use
Hyperlipidemias - drug therapy
Hypertension - drug therapy
Medical sciences
Oxidative Stress - drug effects
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Sodium - urine
Sodium Chloride, Dietary - adverse effects
Sodium Chloride, Dietary - pharmacology
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Summary:Hydroxy methyl glutaryl CoA inhibitors (statins) are the agents most frequently used to reduce elevated serum cholesterol. In addition to their cholesterol lowering effects, statins also have nonlipid lowering pleiotropic properties. These include reducing oxidative stress, renin-angiotensin and endothelin synthesis and activity, and improving nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and availability. Thus, one would predict that statins might be able to exert an antihypertensive effect. Experimental models bear out the blood pressure lowering effects but the data from clinical trials have been inconsistent perhaps due to inappropriate experimental designs, sample size, blood pressure measurement techniques etc. Moreover, although experimental models strongly suggest a role for salt intake in the potential antihypertensive responses to statins, available clinical trials fail to report salt intake in the studied populations. The statins' antihypertensive effects remain an unsettled hypothesis and calls for a large clinical trial at a wide range of doses and a controlled salt intake. Statins meanwhile remain as a excellent option to control high cholesterol and in tissue injury prevention.
ISSN:0895-7061
1941-7225
1879-1905
DOI:10.1038/ajh.2012.105