[Effect of maximum dose of atorvastatin on inflammation, thrombogenesis and fibrinolysis in high-risk patients with ischemic heart disease].

Introduction And Objectives: It has been suggested that high doses of statins can be more effective in reducing the incidence of new cardiovascular events than conventional doses. The present study analyzed the effect of increasing the atorvastatin dose to 80 mg/day on indices of inflammation (C-reactive protein or CRP), thrombogenesis (prothrombin fragment [F1+2]) and fibrinolysis (tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen, t-PA, and its inhibitor PAI-1) in high-risk patients with ischemic heart disease.

Patients And Method: We studied 27 patients with high-risk coronary heart disease who had lipid levels above those recommended despite treatment with atorvastatin at 40 mg/day.

Correlation of plasma von Willebrand factor levels, an index of endothelial damage/dysfunction, with two point-based stroke risk stratification scores in atrial fibrillation.

To test the hypothesis that the new CHADS2 and Framingham point-based risk stratification scores could be related to plasma vWf (a plasma index of endothelial damage/dysfunction) and soluble E-selectin (an index of endothelial activation) levels in a large cohort of AF patients, we studied 200 consecutive patients (101 male; 72+/-9 years) attending our anti-coagulation clinic for the initiation of anticoagulation treatment with acenocoumarol. AF patients had a median CHADS2 score of 2 (1-2) and a median Framingham point-based risk score of 14 (9-21). Results of research indices in our AF patients were as follows: vWf 142.

Relation of interleukin-6 levels and prothrombin fragment 1+2 to a point-based score for stroke risk in atrial fibrillation.

Interleukin-6 levels, but not prothrombin fragment 1 + 2, correlates with a point-based score for stroke risk in atrial fibrillation, even after oral anticogulation.