Lipid-lowering therapy is effective in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in people with PAD .
It may also improve local symptoms .
Until further evidence on the relative effectiveness of different lipid-lowering agents is available , use of a statin in people with PAD and a blood cholesterol level > /=3.5 mmol/litre is most indicated
BACKGROUND Lipid-lowering therapy is recommended for secondary prevention in people with coronary artery disease .
It may also reduce cardiovascular events and /or local disease progression in people with lower limb peripheral arterial disease ( PAD ) .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of lipid-lowering therapy on all-cause mortality , cardiovascular events and local disease progression in patients with PAD of the lower limb .
A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Effects of Policosanol in Patients with Intermittent Claudication
This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of policosanol , a new cholesterol-lowering drug with concomitant antiplatelet effects , in patients with inter mittent claudication . After a baseline period of 6 weeks , 62 patients were r and omized to receive , under double-blind conditions , either placebo ( 31 patients ) or policosanol ( 31 ) , 10 mg twice daily . Walking distances in a treadmill ( constant speed 3.2 km/hr , slope 10 ° ) were assessed before and after 6 months of treatment . Both groups were similar at r and omization . Policosanol increased significantly ( p<0.01 ) the initial claudication distance from 132.5 ±13.5 m ( baseline ) to 205.7 ±36.3 m ( after therapy ) and the absolute claudication distance ( p<0.0001 ) from 229.5 ±22.0 m to 365.4 _ ±46.9 m ; meanwhile both variables remained unchanged in the placebo group ( p<0.05 ) . The reduction of lower limb symptoms showed a greater benefit in the policosanol group . There was no significant change in either group in the ankle/arm pressure ratio . The treatment was well tolerated . There were 10 discontinuations ( seven placebo , three poli- cosanol ) from the study . Six withdrawals occurred because of adverse events ( AE ) ; all were in placebo patients . There were five serious vascular AEs in the placebo group but none in the policosanol group ( p<0.05 ) . Overall , 12/31 ( 38.7 % ) placebo patients and 3/31 ( 9.7 % ) policosanol patients experienced AEs after r and omization , which showed a lesser incidence of AEs in the policosanol group ( p<0.01 ) . The present study demon strates a beneficial effect of policosanol in patients with intermittent claudication
Lipid-lowering therapy is effective in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in people with PAD .
It may also improve local symptoms .
Until further evidence on the relative effectiveness of different lipid-lowering agents is available , use of a statin in people with PAD and a blood cholesterol level > /=3.5 mmol/litre is most indicated
BACKGROUND Lipid-lowering therapy is recommended for secondary prevention in people with coronary artery disease .
It may also reduce cardiovascular events and /or local disease progression in people with lower limb peripheral arterial disease ( PAD ) .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of lipid-lowering therapy on all-cause mortality , cardiovascular events and local disease progression in patients with PAD of the lower limb .