Arterial Destiffening With Atorvastatin in Overweight and Obese Middle-Aged and Older Adults

• Published in: Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. 1979) Tex. 1979), 2009-10, Vol.54 (4), p.763-768
• Main Authors: Orr, Jeb S, Dengo, A Laura, Rivero, Jose M, Davy, Kevin P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aging - physiology; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Atorvastatin Calcium; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Flow Velocity - drug effects; Blood Flow Velocity - physiology; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - physiopathology; Carotid Arteries - drug effects; Carotid Arteries - physiopathology; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Double-Blind Method; Elasticity - drug effects; Female; Femoral Artery - drug effects; Femoral Artery - physiopathology; Heptanoic Acids - pharmacology; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity - physiopathology; Overweight - physiopathology; Pyrroles - pharmacology; Regional Blood Flow - drug effects; Regional Blood Flow - physiology; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 0194-911X; 1524-4563
• DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.109.138248

We hypothesized that atorvastatin (ATOR) treatment would reduce arterial stiffness in overweight and obese middle-aged and older adults. Twenty-six (11 men and 15 women) overweight or obese (body mass index31.6±0.7 kg/m) middle-aged and older adults (age54±2 years) were randomly assigned to receive either ATOR (80 mg/d) or placebo for 12 weeks. Arterial stiffness (β-stiffness and pulse wave velocity) was measured before and after the intervention. At baseline, the ATOR (n=16) and placebo (n=10) groups did not differ with respect to age, body mass index, blood pressure, serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, indices of arterial stiffness, or compliance (all P>0.05). After the 12-week treatment period, the ATOR group experienced a 47% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (149±6 to 80±8 mg/dL) and a 42% reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (3.6±0.8 to 2.1±0.5 mg/L; both P0.05). However, the reductions in arterial stiffness were correlated with the reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol but not high-sensitivity C-reactive protein or any other cardiometabolic variables (all P