The Pleotropic Effect of Statin Therapy on Blood Pressure in Dyslipidemic Patients in University of Portharcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH)

Abstract

Statins, are the most potent and most commonly prescribed hypolipidemic drugs worldwide, but are also reported to have pleiotropic effects, i.e. beneficial effects, other than their lipid lowering effects. This study aims to assess the pleotropic effects of statin therapy administered to dyslipidemic subjects in UPTH on their blood pressure values.  This was a prospective cohort study carried out over a period of 9 months. 320 consecutive, consenting dyslipidemic subjects were recruited into the study. All subjects had a baseline fasting lipid profile and blood pressure measurement done. Test subjects had just commenced statins, while an equal number of age and sex matched control subjects were asked to make life style modifications (exercise and dietary) and were not exposed to statins. Both groups continued similar individualized drug therapies i.e. anti-hypertensive and oral hypoglycaemic agents. They were all followed up for a period of 3 months, after which fasting lipid profile and blood pressure were re-assessed.  This study’s results indicated, a significant(p<0.05)  reduction in the levels of systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure, after 3 months of statin therapy in test cases, and also amongst the control subjects asked to adopt exercise and make dietary modification for 3months. However, comparison of the absolute change in value of the mean for SBP and DBP, test cases relative to control cases revealed no statistical significant change (p>0.05) indicating statins do not show added control of systolic or diastolic blood pressure and so suggest no added clinical benefits after 3 months of therapy. The results showed that statins in addition to their hypolipidemic actions in dyslipidemic subjects in UPTH, do not have a significant effect (p>0.05) after 3 months of therapy on SBP and DBP level/control.