Study: Cholesterol Drugs May Not Work For One-Third of Patients

Millions of people now are taking cholesterol lowering drugs as routinely as aspirin.

But for about a third of the population, the new drugs are NOT reducing the risk of death from heart attacks like they're supposed to.

A new Utah study says a genetic marker named B1 B1 appears to be the obstacle.

The story from Science Specialist Ed Yeates.

Statin Drugs Zocor (Simvastatin) Pravachol (Pravastatin) Lipitor (Atorvastatin) Lescol (Fluvastatin) Lovastatin (Mevacor)

Like millions of people across the country, these heart patients at LDS Hospital are now routinely taking one of the new Statin drugs to control their cholesterol. The drugs not only lower overall cholesterol levels, but actually boost HDL which is the GOOD cholesterol that helps keep arteries clean.

But in a new study here, researchers have discovered the average low 20 milligram daily dose of the drug is NOT decreasing the risk of heart attack deaths in about a third of the population -- people who have what is called a B1-B1 genetic marker.

John Carlquist, PhD / LDS Hospital Cardiac Research: "THE GENE IS INVOLVED IN LIPID METABOLISM. BUT AT THIS POINT WE DON'T KNOW IF THE MARKER WE'VE FOUND IS ACTUALLY INVOLVED OR IF IT'S JUST A LINK TO SOME OTHER GENETIC MARKER THAT IS ACTUALLY CAUSING THE EFFECT THAT WE ARE OBSERVING."

Links FDA Merck & Co.: Zocor Consumer Info Pfizer: Lipitor.Com Related Stories Research on statins and coronary artery disease American Federation For Aging Research Low-Density Lipoprotein Size, Pravastatin Treatment, and Coronary Events Sept. 2001 JAMA Cholesterol Drug Pulled From Market Aug. 2001 The Associated Press Tougher warning on statins urged Aug. 2001 MSNBC.Com Government Presents Aggressive New Recommendations May 2001 ABCNews.Com Three statin drugs found to reduce new marker of heart disease April 2001 U. of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

While the B1 B1 marker is creating some kind of obstacle, others in the population like Robert Magana are doing extremely well on the drugs. But they have what is called a B-2 genetic marker.

Robert Magana / Study Volunteer: "I HAPPEN TO BE GENETICALLY GOOD ON THIS END OF IT AND THE STATIN IS WORKING VERY WELL WITH ME."

Benjamin Horne, PhD / LDS Hospital Cardiac Research: "IN THOSE PATIENTS AT THE B-2, WE SAW ABOUT A 40 TO 50 PERCENT REDUCTION IN DEATH OR HEART ATTACK, WHICH IS A HUGE REDUCTION. (edit) BUT IN THE B1 B1 PATIENTS THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO REDUCTION IN DEATH OR HEART ATTACK."

Why? That's what the research team wants to find out.

Perhaps people who have the B1 B1 genetic marker have something else going on which increases their risk of heart attack death.

ED YEATES, SCIENCE SPECIALIST: "OR IT MAY BE AS SIMPLE NOW AS JUST GIVING THEM A HIGHER DOSE OF THE STATIN DRUGS -- PERHAPS THE MAXIMUM 80 MILLIGRAMS PER DAY TO LOWER THE RISK."

Dec. 10, 2001