Continued benefit of lovastatin in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in 36 patients.

After one year of treatment, low-dose (20 mg/d) lovastatin achieved continued efficacy without tachyphylaxis in 36 patients with Type IIa or IIb hyperlipoproteinemia. Six week and one year reductions in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were significant at 33% and 31% in these patients respectively; reductions in total cholesterol were also significant at 25% and 22% respectively. Increases in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) were 6% at six weeks and 10% at one year; triglycerides were reduced 16% and 11% respectively. The cholesterol lowering effects were similar for males and females (23% and 21% respectively). Low-dose lovastatin (20 mg/d) is a good choice for reducing cholesterol in patients with primary Type IIa or IIb hyperlipoproteinemia refractory to diet therapy because it is effective in lowering LDL-cholesterol, while raising HDL-cholesterol with few side effects and without tachyphylaxis.