COMPARISON OF GEMFIBROZIL AND LOVASTATIN IN PATIENTS WITH HIGH LOW-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN AND LOW HIGH-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL LEVELS

Background-The efficacy of gemfibrozil and lovastatin in the treatment of patients who have an elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level and a low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level was compared. Methods.-After at least 6 weeks of a choleserol-lowering diet, 17 patients who had a mean baseline LDL-C level above 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL) and an HDL-C level below 1.03 mmol/L (40 mg/dL) received gemfibrozil 600 mg twice daily and lovastatin 20 mg twice daily each for 6 weeks according to a randomized, crossover, double-blind research design. Results.-Lovastatin and gemfibrozil reduced LDL-C levels 34% and 9% and raised HDL-C levels 15% and 18%, respectively. Conclusions.-Lovastatin is more effective in lowering LDL-C levels and is as effective as gemfibrozil in increasing HDL-C levels in these patients.