Cheap statins are equally effective

Maximum doses of drugs atorvastatin (marketed by Pfizer under the name Lipitor and Lipitor Zarator in Spain and the U.S.) or rosuvastatin (Crestor, AstraZeneca) with similar efficacy fight atherosclerosis . The main difference is that the former is cheaper because it has lost its patent and generic features in the Spanish market.

Both statins significantly reduce the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of the coronary arteries, according to results of a study presented at the Congress of the American Heart Association (AHA), held this week in Orlando (USA) , and simultaneously published in the journal 'The New England Journal of Medicine "(" NEJM ") . Moreover, the two agents led to a reversal of the disease in the majority of clinical trial participants.

The research involved 1,000 patients who were divided into two groups: half were given atorvastatin 80 mg daily dose and the remaining 50%, 40 mg of rosuvastatin. Treatment outcomes were assessed by intravascular ultrasound imaging system to visualize the inside of the coronary arteries. Two years after baseline, the volume of atherosclerotic plaques had decreased significantly in both groups with few notable side effects.

The most expensive drug, rosuvastatin produced a slightly greater decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol more (good). However, these advantages did not translate into a more favorable progression of coronary artery disease. "The difference was relatively modest," the study's authors acknowledge that company has been funded by AstraZeneca.

In itself there is variation in the price of the two products. In Spain, treatment with the doses used in the study costs almost double if rosuvastatin is used . The latter therapy costs about 77 euros per 28 days compared to about 37 in the case of atorvastatin (Source: Lower prices of the different presentations of drugs. Ministry of Health and Social Policy).

Researchers from more than 200 hospitals that participated in this trial led by the Cleveland Clinic (USA) concluded that either drug can be used to reduce atherosclerotic plaque. In this regard, ensure that the observed decline has been far superior to that shown by other studies.

According to Enrique Galve, president of the Hypertension Unit of the Spanish Society of Cardiology, that's the strength of the new research. "These statins are capable of reversing the plate very evident." Specifically, reduce by 1%, a figure that may seem laughable. However, the cardiologist stresses that it is a great achievement. "When we speak of the plaque, we say to our patients which we hope will not form again, you stay," he says. This alone reduced cardiovascular events . Going beyond this goal is to give a giant step forward.

To Galve, another positive reading of the study is that it manages to stop the progression of coronary artery disease "virtually no side effects." In fact, more than 1,000 patients treated was not observed any cases of rabdiomiolisis, a muscle toxicity is the most serious complication that can occur.