[THE EFFECTS OF STATINS IN SEPSIS AND ACUTE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE].

Statins, inhibitors of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, are the mainstay of the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in patients with cardiovascular disease. Besides the effects on cholesterol synthesis, they also have other effects. Pleiotropic effects of statins have been noted as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-thrombotic and endothelium stabilizing. All the mentioned effects could have beneficial role in the systemic response to infection, i.e. sepsis, but also in other systemic inflammatory conditions. We give a review of pharmacological effects of statins and of trials investigating the effects of statins in acute inflammatory response and sepsis.