EFFECT OF SIMVASTATIN AND FENOFIBRATE ON THE FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC PATIENTS

1 The effects of simvastatin (one of a new class of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) and fenofibrate on the fatty acid composition of cholesterol esters, phospholipids and triglycerides of different lipoproteins of 15 patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia were compared in a double-blind study. 2 Fenofibrate (300 mg day-1) increased the relative content of saturated fatty acids of cholesterol esters, phospholipids and triglycerides in VLDL, IDL and HDL. It also increased the relative content of monounsaturated fatty acids of cholesterol esters and phospholipids in all fractions and those of triglycerides in VLDL and IDL. In contrast, it decreased the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids of cholesterol esters and phospholipids in all fractions and those of triglycerides in VLDL and IDL. The polyunsaturated/saturated (P/S) ratio was reduced in cholesterol esters and phospholipids in VLDL and in phospholipids in IDL by fenofibrate. The drug significantly increased the 18:1w9/18:2w6 ratio in cholesterol esters and phospholipids in VLDL, LDL and HDL, but produced a non-significant increase in the ratio in IDL. 3 Simvastatin (20 mg day-1) produced a significant decrease in saturated fatty acid and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acid in triglycerides in VLDL. Simvastatin, in contrast to fenofibrate caused a slight decrease in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in the three other lipoprotein fractions, and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The P/S and 18:1w9/18:2w6 ratios were not modified by simvastatin.