American College Of Cardiology Meeting, In Brief
This article was originally published in Pharmaceutical Approvals Monthly
Executive Summary
Statin "reloading" may help angioplasty patients avoid heart attack: The pleiotropic effects of statins extend to the PCI lab, where they show benefits for patients dosed before angioplasty, according to evidence presented during the American College of Cardiology scientific sessions in Orlando, Fla., March 29-31. In the ARMYDA-RECAPTURE trial, patients with stable angina or non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome chronically treated with statins were "reloaded" with 80 mg of atorvastatin (Pfizer's Lipitor) 12 hours before percutaneous coronary intervention and given another 40 mg before the procedure. They had a significant 48 percent reduction in relative risk of a major adverse cardiac event 30 days after angioplasty. The large majority of patients undergoing PCI already take statins, but the beneficial effect may wane, said principal investigator Germano Di Sciascio. A new loading dose of atorvastatin "recaptures" that effect