Achieving Lipid Goals in Real Life: The DISCOVERY-UK Study
General practitioners may not routinely uptitrate statins, even in patients not achieving target cholesterol levels. In this study, the efficacy and safety of the recommended start doses of three statins were evaluated.
DISCOVERY-UK (the DIrect Statin COmparison of LDL-C Values: an Evaluation of Rosuvastatin therapY) was an open-label, parallel-group, multicentre study designed to compare the efficacy of recommended start doses of rosuvastatin with atorvastatin and simvastatin for reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and goal attainment.
Patients with type IIa or type IIb hypercholesterolaemia and a 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk > 20% or a history of CHD or other established atherosclerotic disease were randomised to receive rosuvastatin 10 mg, atorvastatin 10 mg or simvastatin 20 mg for 12 weeks.
Significantly greater LDL-C reductions were observed with rosuvastatin 10 mg compared with atorvastatin 10 mg and simvastatin 20 mg (50% versus 42% and 40%, both p<0.0001). The 1998 European goal (LDL-C < 3.0 mmol/L) was achieved by 89% of patients receiving rosuvastatin 10 mg, which was significantly more than patients receiving atorvastatin 10 mg (78%) and simvastatin 20 mg (72%) (both p<0.0001). Similar results were observed for the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III goal (LDL-C < 2.6 mmol/L) and 2003 European goals (LDL-C < 3.0 or < 2.5 mmol/L, depending on risk cat-egory).
In conclusion, rosuvastatin is more effective than atorvastatin or simvastatin for lowering LDL-C and enabling patients to achieve lipid goals at recommended start doses.
The efficacy of statins in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well established. However, many patients who are eligible for statin therapy remain untreated and, among those who receive treatment, a considerable proportion fail to achieve lipid goals recommended by national and international guidelines. Studies have shown that many patients who begin statin treatment remain at the initial dose, and dose titration is uncommon. In the primary care setting, the availability of therapies that enable patients to achieve goals without the need for dose titration is important in optimising treatment outcomes.
Rosuvastatin has been shown to be highly efficacious for lowering LDL-C levels, and it enables more patients to achieve LDL-C goals at an initial dose of 10 mg compared with atorvastatin 10 mg and simvastatin 20 mg. Rosuvastatin also has beneficial effects on other components of the lipid profile, including high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG).
The DIrect Statin COmparison of LDL-C Values: an Evaluation of Rosuvastatin therapY (DISCOVERY) Programme is being conducted to assess the efficacy of recommended starting doses of rosuvastatin, atorva-statin and other statins for achieving lipid goals and improving the lipid profile. The DISCOVERY Programme is recruiting over 12,000 patients from more than 30 countries worldwide and is made up of a number of independently powered studies. Results from one of the DISCOVERY studies, conducted in the UK, are reported here.
General practitioners may not routinely uptitrate statins, even in patients not achieving target cholesterol levels. In this study, the efficacy and safety of the recommended start doses of three statins were evaluated.
DISCOVERY-UK (the DIrect Statin COmparison of LDL-C Values: an Evaluation of Rosuvastatin therapY) was an open-label, parallel-group, multicentre study designed to compare the efficacy of recommended start doses of rosuvastatin with atorvastatin and simvastatin for reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and goal attainment.
Patients with type IIa or type IIb hypercholesterolaemia and a 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk > 20% or a history of CHD or other established atherosclerotic disease were randomised to receive rosuvastatin 10 mg, atorvastatin 10 mg or simvastatin 20 mg for 12 weeks.
Significantly greater LDL-C reductions were observed with rosuvastatin 10 mg compared with atorvastatin 10 mg and simvastatin 20 mg (50% versus 42% and 40%, both p<0.0001). The 1998 European goal (LDL-C < 3.0 mmol/L) was achieved by 89% of patients receiving rosuvastatin 10 mg, which was significantly more than patients receiving atorvastatin 10 mg (78%) and simvastatin 20 mg (72%) (both p<0.0001). Similar results were observed for the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III goal (LDL-C < 2.6 mmol/L) and 2003 European goals (LDL-C < 3.0 or < 2.5 mmol/L, depending on risk cat-egory).
In conclusion, rosuvastatin is more effective than atorvastatin or simvastatin for lowering LDL-C and enabling patients to achieve lipid goals at recommended start doses.
The efficacy of statins in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well established. However, many patients who are eligible for statin therapy remain untreated and, among those who receive treatment, a considerable proportion fail to achieve lipid goals recommended by national and international guidelines. Studies have shown that many patients who begin statin treatment remain at the initial dose, and dose titration is uncommon. In the primary care setting, the availability of therapies that enable patients to achieve goals without the need for dose titration is important in optimising treatment outcomes.
Rosuvastatin has been shown to be highly efficacious for lowering LDL-C levels, and it enables more patients to achieve LDL-C goals at an initial dose of 10 mg compared with atorvastatin 10 mg and simvastatin 20 mg. Rosuvastatin also has beneficial effects on other components of the lipid profile, including high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG).
The DIrect Statin COmparison of LDL-C Values: an Evaluation of Rosuvastatin therapY (DISCOVERY) Programme is being conducted to assess the efficacy of recommended starting doses of rosuvastatin, atorva-statin and other statins for achieving lipid goals and improving the lipid profile. The DISCOVERY Programme is recruiting over 12,000 patients from more than 30 countries worldwide and is made up of a number of independently powered studies. Results from one of the DISCOVERY studies, conducted in the UK, are reported here.
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