Controversy over use of Statin drug for heart failure patients still remains unanswered but the drug has been very useful in reducing LDL cholesterol levels.
Research articles in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology discuss the benefits of using Lipitor a statin drug. Two articles in the same journal discussed the use of taking Statin drug for heart failure besides using it for reducing cholesterol levels.
The first study reported in the Journal by Professor Srikanth Sola and colleagues from Emory University, Atlanta reported the use of statins drugs at a dosage of 20 mg/day developed the heart beat rate in 108 heart failure patients and reduced inflammation in their Lipitor study compared to placebo group.But the second study reported in the same Journal by Professor Barry E. Bleske and colleagues from University of Michigan found that the Lipitor drug administered at 80 mg/day to 15 patients with heart failure showed a good reduction of LDL cholesterol levels in the study patients but there was no benefit in reducing the symptoms of heart failure or heart rate compared to placebo group.
On the Editorial note of the Journal, Professor Douglas L. Mann and Kumudha Ramasubbu, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston reviewed the articles and commented that more study has to be done regarding the use of Lipitor for heart patients but the drug shows promising results in reducing LDL cholesterol levels before it could be prescribed to patients with heart failure.
