Seminars in vascular surgery
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Statins belong to a class of drugs known to inhibit 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, and block hepatic cholesterol synthesis. Since the initial statin was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1987, these agents quickly became the gold standard for treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Effective lipid-lowering has been found to improve the long-term prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease. ⋯ Preliminary work indicates that a similar benefit of statin use in reducing neurologic morbidity among patients undergoing carotid angioplasty and stent procedures. A number of the pleiotropic effects of statin medications may be responsible for these clinical observations. Further work is necessary to better elucidate these mechanisms, as well as to determine the optimal agents, dosing, and timing of drug administration among patients undergoing carotid interventions.