While statins are used primarily to lower cholesterol levels, there is evidence that these drugs may also have beneficial effects on blood vessel function independent of cholesterol levels. Heart failure patients are known to have vascular dysfunction, but are impaired and not routinely considered for statin therapy.
The Yale trial will assess vascular function before and after a short course of statin therapy in heart failure patients with normal cholesterol levels. The randomized trial will include 30 patients with mild to moderate chronic heart failure.
Long-term statin therapy has led to improved vascular function in heart disease patients with high cholesterol, but there are no data available regarding the short-term effects of statin therapy in heart failure patients with normal cholesterol levels. This study will screen patients for high cholesterol and evaluate the potential impact of statins on the care of heart failure patients.
Leading statin treatments include atorvastatin (Lipitor) produced by Pfizer, fluvastatin (Lescol), a Novartis drug, as well as lovastatin (Mevacor) and simvastatin (Zocor) both manufactured by Merck and Co.