Atorvastatin (Lipitor) Decreases the Coenzyme Q10 Level in the Blood of Patients at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke
Atorvastatin Decreases the Coenzyme Q10 Level in the Blood of Patients at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke Tatjana Rundek, MD; Ali Naini, PhD; Ralph Sacco, MD; Kristen Coates, MS; Salvatore DiMauro, MD Journal of Neurology, July 2004: Cite:Arch Neurol. 2004;61:889-892.
Note: Atorvastatin is the scientific name for Lipitor, the most popular of the statin drugs. The following is an abstract of the full study in July’s Journal of Neurology.
Background Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) are widely used for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and coronary heart disease and for the prevention of stroke. There have been various adverse effects, most commonly affecting muscle and ranging from myalgia to rhabdomyolysis. These adverse effects may be due to a coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) deficiency because inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis also inhibits the synthesis of CoQ10.
Objective To measure CoQ10 levels in blood from hypercholesterolemic subjects before and after exposure to atorvastatin calcium, 80 mg/d, for 14 and 30 days.
Design Prospective blinded study of the effects of short-term exposure to atorvastatin on blood levels of CoQ10.
Setting Stroke center at an academic tertiary care hospital.
Patients We examined a cohort of 34 subjects eligible for statin treatment according to National Cholesterol Education Program: Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.
Results The mean
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