Archief Roodbont

April 17, 2008 — Results from a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial have confirmed earlier observations that statins lower blood pressure [1]. The modest reduction was observed in a largely normotensive patient population and occurred in patients taking relatively low doses of statins, report investigators.

Lead investigator Dr Beatrice Golomb (University of California, San Diego [UCSD]) told heartwire that the study provides confirmation that the effects of statins extend to reductions in a second primary cardiovascular risk factor. "The observed reduction in blood pressure, about 2.2 mm Hg, is modest but at the population level can contribute to significant reductions in the risk of stroke," she said.

The study, known as the University of California San Diego Statin Study, is published in the April 14, 2008 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. A recent meta-analysis of 20 statin trials suggested that, as well as lowering lipids, the drugs produce a small but clinically meaningful reduction in blood pressure, noted Golomb, but the largest study had a sample size of only 100 patients, raising concerns about publication bias. Other reviews and meta-analyses had similar shortcomings.

# posted by roodbont @ 2:17 AM