Pravastatin Appears Safe in Patients with Mild Chronic Liver Disease

If such patients have strong indications for statins, pravastatin seems reasonable, as long as liver tests are monitored closely.

According to official prescribing information, statins are contraindicated in patients “with active liver disease or unexplained persistent elevations in serum transaminases.” But is this contraindication unnecessarily restrictive? To address this question, manufacturer-supported researchers examined the safety of pravastatin in 326 patients with well-compensated chronic liver disease; most had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (64%) or chronic hepatitis C (25%). Patients with transaminase levels greater than five times the upper limit of normal, elevated bilirubin or low albumin levels, low platelet counts, prolonged prothrombin times, or advanced cirrhosis were excluded.

Patients were randomized to receive pravastatin (80 mg daily) or place…

Reviewing Author

Allan S. Brett, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Allan S. Brett, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose