Statin Reload Beneficial in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The ARMYDA-RECAPTURE results demonstrate that the protective effects of statin loading before PCI extend to ACS patients who are already taking statins.

In the ARMYDA trials, a loading dose of atorvastatin reduced cardiac events after percutaneous coronary intervention in statin-naive patients whether they had stable angina or acute coronary syndromes (JW Cardiol May 9 2007). Might atorvastatin reloading before PCI also improve clinical outcomes in patients already taking statins?

To find out, the ARMYDA investigators randomized 383 patients on statin therapy (mean duration, about 9 months) to receive placebo or atorvastatin before scheduled PCI (80 mg 12 hours before angiography and 40 mg 2 hours preprocedure). About half the patients had ACS, and more than one third had diabetes. During 30-day follow-up, cardiac death, MI, or target-vessel revascularization occurred in 3.7% of statin-reloa…

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAffluent Medical; Artedrone; Caranx; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic; Prolifagen; Wells Fargo

EquityMicrointerventional Devices, Inc.

RoyaltiesUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant/Research SupportAbbott Vascular; Edwards Lifesciences; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic

Editorial BoardsCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions; Journal of the American College of Cardiology; Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Case Reports; JSCAI

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesHeart Valve Collaboratory (Scientific Committee Member, Chair of the Publications Committee)