Effects of single high loading dose of atorvastatin on periprocedural cardiac markers and myocardial infarction

Objective:To investigate whether loading 80mg atorvastatin prior to percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)can efficiently reduce the incidence of periprocedural myocardial infarction and the reading of cardiac markers.Methods:A total of 173 patients with coronary artery disease who underwent selective PCI were enrolled in this study and randomized into two groups:the atorvastatin group and the control group.The atorvastatin group was given a single loading of 80mg atorvastatin 12 hours before receiving PCI on top of routine medical therapy.The control group was treated with routine medication alone.TnI and CK-MB were checked for all patients 18 hours after PCI.Results:Post-operative CK-MB and TnI levels in atorvastatin group were significantly lower than those in control group(2.76(4.63 ng/ml vs.10.53(24.39ng/ml,P0.01;0.14(0.19ng/ml vs.1.31(4.31ng/ml,P0.05;respectively).Moreover,the number of patients with CK-MB and TnI level 3 times above the normal value in atorvastatin group was significantly less than that in control group(2.3% vs.16.3%,P0.01;24.1% vs.48.8%,P0.01;respectively).Conclusion:The level of cardiac markers and corresponding incidence of myocardial infarction could be reduced by a single high loading dose of 80mg atorvastatin given prior to PCI in stable angina patients and unstable angina patients with normal cardiac markers.