The role of lipid lowering in transplantation.

Transplantation is an increasingly common procedure. Yet the contribution of accelerated atherosclerosis to the reduction of graft life is often underestimated. This review examines the evidence for the involvement of hyperlipidaemia and other cardiovascular disease risk factors in the aetiology of chronic graft failure in renal, cardiac, liver and pancreatic transplantation. The evidence for the role of lipid lowering therapy in the prevention of accelerated atheroma in these patients is reviewed.