Statins and C-reactive protein levels.

In patients with or at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including hypertensive individuals, lowering levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduces CVD risk. Statins are the most effective of available therapies for lowering LDL-C. Extensive clinical trial data have shown that the degree of LDL-C reduction obtained depends on the particular statin used and that intensive LDL-C lowering reduces the incidence of cardiovascular events compared with more moderate LDL-C lowering. More recent data suggest that effects independent of LDL-C lowering may also play a part in the reduction in cardiovascular events. C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, is a potential predictor of CVD risk, and statins reduce CRP levels by up to 60%. CRP reduction is independent of LDL-C lowering, and variation between statins in CRP reduction may play some role in CVD event reduction rates. At present, however, there are few outcome data relating to the cardiovascular benefits of reducing CRP.