Reducing serum cholesterol levels in women

Abstract

Roberto LozanoHospital Real Ntra Sra de Gracia, Pharmacy Department, Zaragoza, SpainDuring recent years, statins have been used to reduce serum cholesterol levels, but with conflicting results concerning the benefits obtained in women compared with men in the prevention of cardiovascular events.1 Some authors have suggested that the state of inflammation, assessed by the concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP), determines the protective vascular effects of statin therapy. It has been reported that statins might be more beneficial in people with elevated CRP levels, and may be ineffective in people with low concentrations of both CRP and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.2 Furthermore, other authors have reported higher levels of CRP in women than in men.3