Effect of Atorvastatin on hemorheologic-hemostatic parameters and serum fibrinogen levels in hyperlipidemic patients

Plasma fibrinogen and hemorheologic-hemostatic factors contribute to dyslipidemia-induced morbidity. Some of these parameters can be favorably affected when abnormal serum lipoprotein levels are corrected. Thus, we investigated whether treatment with atorvastatin would result in changes in plasma viscosity and other hemorheologic and hemostatic parameters. Twenty-two hyperlipidemic men at a university lipid clinic were treated single-blinded with atorvastatin 80 mg/day for 12 weeks to determine hemostatic-hemorheologic parameters including blood viscosity, fibrinogen levels, whole blood platelet aggregation, tissue plasminogen activator antigen, hematocrit, plasminogen activator inhibitor activity, factor VII activity, red blood cell (RBC) deformity and lipid ratio, sedimentation rate, and fasting serum lipoprotein levels. Atorvastatin treatment provided significant lowering of serum lipoprotein levels: low-density lipoprotein -53% (p = 0.0001), very low density lipoprotein -43% (p = 0.0001), and triglycerides -35% (p <0.0001). These effects were accompanied by changes in plasma viscosity -10% (p = 0.0007), arachidonic acid-induced whole blood platelet aggregation -11% (p = 0.006), factor VII -8% (p = 0.001), RBC lipid composition +5% (p = 0.0003), and RBC sedimentation -33% (p = 0.0002). Plasma fibrinogen levels were not affected. Thus, atorvastatin 80 mg/day produced marked reductions in serum low-density lipoproteiin cholesterol (-53%), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (-43%), and triglycerides levels (-35%), and significant changes in plasma viscosity as well as other hemorheologic-hemostatic parameters, but no changes in plasma fibrinogen levels. (C)2000 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.