Effect of Atorvastatin (80 mg/day) versus Pravastatin (40 mg/day) on arterial remodeling at coronary branch points (from the REVERSAL study)

Stephen J. Nicholls, E. Murat Tuzcu, Paul Schoenhagen, Ilke Sipahi, Tim Crowe, Samir Kapadia, Steven E. Nissen

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11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The effect of moderate and intensive lipid lowering on plaque progression and arterial remodeling at coronary branch points was investigated. Intensive (+1 ± 19.6%), but not moderate (+4.1 ± 15.1%), lipid lowering prevented an increase in plaque area at the branch points. The 2 strategies were associated with increased areas of the lumen (+7.6% to 9.4%) and external elastic membrane (+9.6% to 10.8%). In contrast, there was no significant change in plaque, lumen, and/or external elastic membrane areas at the nonbranch point site. These results suggest that intensive lipid lowering can have a dramatic effect on atheroma-prone regions and that remodeling in response to changes in plaque is a heterogenous process.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1636-1639
Number of pages4
JournalAmerican Journal of Cardiology
Volume96
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished or Issued - 15 Dec 2005

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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