[Protective effect of atrovastatin against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and on liver and kidney functions in aged rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of atorvastatin against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and its protective effect on liver and kidney functions.

Methods: Ten-month-old Wistar rats were fed to the age of 20 months, and atorvastatin statins gavage was administered till 24 months. The rats were divided into high-dose statin group, small-dose statin group, aged control group and young control group. The myocardial ischemia-reperfusion model was established by ligating the coronary artery. The mortality, hemodynamic changes, infarct size and liver and kidney functions of the rats were recorded or measured.

Results: Compared with the aged control group, the young control group and high-dose statin group showed significantly lower mortality rate, reduced hemodynamic abnormalities, and smaller myocardial infarct size following myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (P<0.05). The liver and kidney functions of the young control group and high-dose statin group underwent no significant deterioration after myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, but those in the small-dose statin group and aged control group showed significant deteriorations (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Atorvastatin offers protective effects on the heart, liver, and kidney in the event of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in aged rats.