Determine the effectiveness of lipid-lowering therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease combined with coronary heart disease

Abstract

Introduction: In complex treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) combined with ischemic heart disease (IHD) more and more attention is drawn to pleiotropic effect of statins. The aim of our researches became determining the effectivity of utilization of rosuvastatin (Crestor®, IPR Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) in complex treatment of COPD combined with IHD. Materials and methods: Basing on pulmonology department of Poltava regional clinical hospital, 30 patients with COPD combined with IHD have been examined (stable effort angina FC II) aged from 51 to 67 y.o. (average age was 57,03±3,51). The patients were divided into two age compatible groups. Patients of the main group (n=15) underwent regular COPD and IHD treatment, addind 20 mg of rosuvastatin per night. The observed group (n=15) didn't receive rosuvastatin. The examination of patients was held before and half year of treatment, included the estimation of respiratory symptoms of the disease, the degree of intensity of dyspnea (Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale). The tolerance to physical exercise was studied with 6 minute walking test. The cholesterine level, HDL, LDL, function of ventilation have been tested as well. The average frequency of aggravations during the year was estimated through retrospective examination of anamnesis. Results: After the treatment the improvement of clinical state has been noticed at both groups due to decrease of intensity of respiratory symptoms of the disease, such as cough, amount of expectoration, dyspnea and also increase of tolerance to physical exercise and improvement of laboratory-instrumental indexes. Though the patients of the main group were noticed to have significantly less amount of expectoration and cough. The distance covered in 6 minutes was positively longer (р<0,05). It has to be noted that the patients of the main group had positive decrease of wheezing after treatment, due to increase of FEV1, GI (р<0,01). The retrospective studying of the anamnesis revealed that the frequency of arrogations during the year was 1-2 times a year (1,6±0,48). Conclusions: Including rosuvastatin into the treatment scheme allows to decrease and stabilize the main clinical symptoms of this constellation of diseases, improving the quality of life, reduce the frequency of exacerbations.