Effect of medication with pravastatin sodium on hemorheological parameters in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia.

Pravastatin sodium, a newly developed potent synthesis inhibitor of HMG-CoA (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-cocarboxylase-A) reductase (Sankyo Co., Ltd., Japan) was medicated, 10 approximately 15 mg/day (mean: 11.1 mg/day) for 10.2 weeks in mean, in 14 patients with primary hyperlipoproteinemia of more than 230 mg/dl of serum cholesterol levels (mean age: 56.9 y.o.). The values of serum cholesterol decreased (from 242 +/- 12 to 207 +/- 22; mg/dl), and of high density lipoprotein (HDL) increased (from 42.3 +/- 8.8 to 45.3 +/- 9.2; mg/dl) significantly (p < 0.05, respectively) 10.2 weeks in mean after medication with pravastatin sodium. The whole blood viscosity, at every shear rate examined, corrected blood viscosity, for the standard hematocrit level of 45%, and plasma fibrinogen decreased significantly (p < 0.05, respectively) at the same time, without showing significant differences any more 10.2 weeks in mean after medication with those in 14 elderly normal subjects (mean age: 56.7 y.o.), which suggested that the hemorheological parameters in patients with primary hyperlipoproteinemia had improved significantly by medication with pravastatin sodium.