Review of the Mechanisms of Action of the Statins and Their Pleiotropic Effects in the Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis

摘要

Statins are lipid-lowering agents widely used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. They act by inhibiting of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, an enzyme responsible tor the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate in cholesterol biosynthesis. Due to their ability to reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDL) levels more than other cholesterol-lowering drugs, they have become the drugs most often prescribed in the treatment of atherosclerosis.