STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of daily simvastatin administration with that of alternate-day therapy at double the daily dose. DESIGN: Nonrandomized, before-after comparison trial. SETTING: Outpatient clinic of a Veterans Affairs medical center. PATIENTS: Fifteen men with hyperlipidemia. INTERVENTION: The simvastatin regimen for patients with a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) level at their established National Cholesterol Education Program goal was converted from daily dosing to double the daily dose given every other day for 8 weeks. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Baseline laboratory values were obtained for patients receiving daily simvastatin therapy After 8 weeks of alternate-day therapy, follow-up laboratory values were obtained and assessed for efficacy and toxicity. The LDL-lowering effect of the daily dosing regimen was compared with that of the alternate-day dosing regimen. Paired t tests were computed to compare LDL concentrations before and after the study using a 95% confidence interval. No statistically significant difference was observed. CONCLUSION: Alternate-day dosing of simvastatin may be an effective alternative to daily dosing.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of daily simvastatin administration with that of alternate-day therapy at double the daily dose. DESIGN: Nonrandomized, before-after comparison trial. SETTING:Outpatient clinic of a Veterans Affairs medical center. PATIENTS: Fifteen men with hyperlipidemia. INTERVENTION: The simvastatin regimen for patients with a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) level at their established National Cholesterol Education Program goal was converted from daily dosing to double the daily dose given every other day for 8 weeks. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Baseline laboratory values were obtained for patients receiving daily simvastatin therapy After 8 weeks of alternate-day therapy, follow-up laboratory values were obtained and assessed for efficacy and toxicity. The LDL-lowering effect of the daily dosing regimen was compared with that of the alternate-day dosing regimen. Paired t tests were computed to compare LDL concentrations before and after the study using a 95% confidence interval. No statistically significant difference was observed. CONCLUSION: Alternate-day dosing of simvastatin may be an effective alternative to daily dosing.