Novartis Anti-Cholesterol Drug Reduces Risk of Heart Problems After Surgery, Study Shows

In a 500-patient study carried out by the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam and presented at the European Society of Cardiology annual meeting being held in Munich, researchers, led by Don Poldermans, stated the results showed only 10.9 percent of vascular surgery patients taking Novartis´ Lescol (fluvastatin) suffered myocardial ischemia - reduced blood supply to the heart muscle - against 18.9 percent of those on placebo.

Lescol, a so-called statin drug, appears to be effective in reducing this risk by cutting inflammation and stabilizing plaques in coronary arteries that might otherwise rupture, stated Poldermans.

Statistics have shown that more than 3 percent of patients undergoing non-cardiac vascular surgery - surgery to arteries and veins - die from heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems.

Patients in the study were given the highest dose of Lescol, as an extended release formulation, which lasts around four days.

Lescol is one of Basel-based Novartis´ older products – sales in the first half of this year totaled $ 337 million dollars.