The Pleiotropic Effects of Lipid-Modifying Interventions: Exploring Traditional and Emerging Hypolipidemic Therapies
Dimitris Kounatidis,
Nikolaos Tentolouris,
Natalia G. Vallianou,
Iordanis Mourouzis,
Irene Karampela,
Theodora Stratigou,
Eleni Rebelos,
Marina Kouveletsou,
Vasileios Stamatopoulos,
Eleni Tsaroucha,
Maria Dalamaga
Affiliations
Dimitris Kounatidis
Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Nikolaos Tentolouris
Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Natalia G. Vallianou
First Department of Internal Medicine, Sismanogleio General Hospital, 15126 Athens, Greece
Iordanis Mourouzis
Department of Pharmacology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Irene Karampela
Second Department of Critical Care, Attikon General University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Theodora Stratigou
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Evangelismos General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
Eleni Rebelos
Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Marina Kouveletsou
Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Vasileios Stamatopoulos
Department of Internal Medicine, Evangelismos General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
Eleni Tsaroucha
First Department of Internal Medicine, Sismanogleio General Hospital, 15126 Athens, Greece
Maria Dalamaga
Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease poses a significant global health issue, with dyslipidemia standing out as a major risk factor. In recent decades, lipid-lowering therapies have evolved significantly, with statins emerging as the cornerstone treatment. These interventions play a crucial role in both primary and secondary prevention by effectively reducing cardiovascular risk through lipid profile enhancements. Beyond their primary lipid-lowering effects, extensive research indicates that these therapies exhibit pleiotropic actions, offering additional health benefits. These include anti-inflammatory properties, improvements in vascular health and glucose metabolism, and potential implications in cancer management. While statins and ezetimibe have been extensively studied, newer lipid-lowering agents also demonstrate similar pleiotropic effects, even in the absence of direct cardiovascular benefits. This narrative review explores the diverse pleiotropic properties of lipid-modifying therapies, emphasizing their non-lipid effects that contribute to reducing cardiovascular burden and exploring emerging benefits for non-cardiovascular conditions. Mechanistic insights into these actions are discussed alongside their potential therapeutic implications
