STATIN SUPPLEMENTATION IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS ON ACE-INHIBITOR THERAPY: BLIGHT OR BLESSING?

Dr. Rahul Khobragade and *Dr. Uma A. Bhosale

ABSTRACT

Background: Dyslipidemia co-exist in majority of hypertensives reasoning potential risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The risk of hypertension (HTN) increases with an impaired lipid profile. Statins offer significant clinical benefit in these patients preventing primary and secondary CVD and thus used as an adjuvant therapy. However statins on their own can cause certain side effects viz. diabetes, hematological, renal and hepatotoxicity which remained unendorsed due to combination therapy. Objective: This study was therefore conducted to reveal harmful effects adjuvant statin therapy in HTN patients on ACE-Inhibitors, as reported negligible interaction with statins unlike other anti-hypertensives. Methods: In this prospective cohort study hypertensives (30-70 yrs) of either sex taking ACE-Inhibitors were included. Patients were grouped into control (ACE-Inhibitors) and test groups (ACE-Inhibitors + statin <1 month) with reference to treatment they received. The detrimental effects of statins on various organ systems (heart, kidney & liver), biochemical and hematological parameters were assessed and compared after 6 months; gender and age specific adverse events were also studied. Data obtained was analyzed using student‟s„t‟-test of OpenEpi statistical software. Results: Study clearly revealed that statins exhibit significant increase in toxicity markers viz. blood sugar, liver enzymes (p<0.01), urea and creatinine (p<0.05, p<0.01), creatine phosphokinase (p<0.05) when compared to baseline and control. Conclusions: Statins are not as safe as they are portrayed by various researchers and they themselves may cause certain adverse effects for which physicians should be more aware and cautious while prescribing.

Keywords: Statins BSL KFT LFT CPK-MB.