Effect of atorvastatin treatment on the hemorheological and hemostaseological parameters in chronic cerebrovascular patients

Abstract

Hemorheologic and hemostatic parameters are known to be altered in cerebrovascular diseases. Statin therapy is an effective treatment in the prevention of ischemic stroke, the beneficial effects may also involve lipid-independent mechanisms. In their publication the authors review the references based on the effect of atorvastatin on stroke prevention, hemorheologic and hemostatic parameters, referred to in their previous study, investigating the short-term effect of low-dose atorvastatin on hemorheologic parameters, and endothelial dysfunction, platelet aggregation. 27 chronic cerebrovascular patients (mean age: 61 +/- 8 years) with hyperlipidemia were investigated for serum lipid levels, hemorheologic parameters (hematocrit, plasma fibrinogen level, plasma and whole blood viscosity, red blood cell aggregation and deformability) and platelet aggregation at baseline, and after one and three months treatment with 10 mg atorvastatin daily. Endothelial dysfunction, characterized by von Willebrand factor activity was measured before and after 1-month treatment. The mean decrease of plasma total cholesterol level was 28% both after 1 and 3 months ( p < 0.001), that of LDL-cholesterol was 40% and 38% ( p < 0.001) compared to baseline values. Atorvastatin significantly improved whole blood viscosity after 3-month treatment and red blood cell deformability even after 1-month treatment ( p < 0.05). Collagen induced platelet aggregation provided a significant ( p < 0.001) decrease compared to that of baseline values beside unaltered antiplatelet therapy. Von Willebrand factor activity was also improved significantly ( p < 0.05) after 1-month treatment. Data of the literature and findings of the authors show that the beneficial effects of atorvastatin are complex. Besides lipid lowering, atorvastatin can improve hemorheologic parameters, platelet aggregation and endothelial dysfunction after short-term and low-dose therapy.