Effect of plasma cholesterol reduction by pravastatin on the functional properties of forearm arteries in hypercholesterolemic patients

Since functional properties in the vasculature of hypercholesterolemic subjects are impaired, a six-month pravastatin treatment (20 mg/die) was tested in an open design, on the impaired unstimulated forearm arterial compliance (Un-FAC(AUC)) of 14 asymptomatic type IIa familial hypercholesterolemic patients. In order to evaluate whether FAC(AUC) changes might be related to the extent of cholesterol reduction achieved, this evaluation was carried out in five severely hypercholesterolemic patients, undergoing LDL-apheresis.