Effects of Lipid Lowering by Pravastatin on Progression and Regression of Coronary Artery Disease in Symptomatic Men With Normal to Moderately Elevated Serum Cholesterol Levels

Abstract

Background Intensive lowering of serum cholesterol may retard progression of coronary atherosclerosis in selected groups of patients. However, few data are available on the potential benefit of serum cholesterol reduction in the broad range of patients with coronary atherosclerosis and normal to moderately elevated serum cholesterol levels who undergo various forms of treatment. The Regression Growth Evaluation Statin Study (REGRESS) addresses this group of patients. Methods and Results REGRESS is a double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study to assess the effects of 2 years of treatment with the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor pravastatin on progression and regression of coronary atherosclerosis in 885 male patients with a serum cholesterol level between 4 and 8 mmol/L (155 and 310 mg/dL) by quantitative coronary arteriography. Primary end points were (1) change in average mean segment diameter per patient and (2) change in average minimum obstruction diameter per patient...