Lipid-lowering effects of lovastatin in CAPD patients.

Increased incidence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has been observed in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Hyperlipemia is an important etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. Lovastatin has been shown to effectively lower both the serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the most common abnormalities in these patients. In a retrospective study we assessed the lipid-lowering effects of lovastatin (20 mg/day) in 8 CAPD patients whose serum cholesterol and/or triglycerides remained greater than 240 mg/dL, despite a low cholesterol diet. At 6 months of lovastatin therapy, moderate reductions in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were observed in 2 patients. Although 20 mg/day of lovastatin were well tolerated, the treatment was not universally effective in lowering the serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels.