Pravachol vs Lipitor in atherosclerosis

JAMA -- Abstracts: Nissen et al. 291 (9): 1071

This looks like a near-landmark study. Scientists did a head-to-head trial of 2 statins, Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Pravachol (pravastatin). First of all, Lipitor was more effective than Pravachol in reducing the progress of atherosclerosis--and that's the point of taking a statin. Lipitor also did a better job of reducing levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that apparently predicts heart disease risk. And finally, people who took Lipitor really slashed their "bad" cholesterol levels. This investigation is also important because the drugs were compared directly. This type of study is often performed with one drug compared to a placebo, which makes it difficult to compare 2 active drugs. Taken in conjunction with another comparison of Pravachol and Lipitor rushed to publication in the New England Journal of Medicine online edition and showing an edge for high-dose Lipitor in patients who'd just had a coronary event, this study provides a powerful incentive for doctors to get even more aggressive with statins.