Rizwan Ashraf, Kausar Amir, Abdul Rashid Shaikh.
Comparison between duration dependent effects of Simvastatin and Gemfibrozil on Dyslipidemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.
J Pak Med Assoc Jan ;55(8):324-7.

Objective: To observe the duration dependent effects of two important classes of lipid lowering drugs i.e. simvastatin and gemfibrozil in type 2 diabetic patients with dyslipidemia in Pakistani population. Methods: Seventy type 2 diabetic patients with newly diagnosed dyslipidemia were enrolled and were divided randomly into two groups each, with 35 patients. Group I patients was given tablets Simvastatin 20 mg once daily and group II patients received tablet Gemfibrozil 600 mg twice daily. The study period comprised of 12 weeks. Fasting lipid profile and fasting blood sugar was analyzed on week 0 (day of inclusion), week 6 and week 12. Results: At week 12 simvastatin decreased serum LDL cholesterol by 36.97 percent (P<0.001). In contrast gemfibrozil did not reduce it significantly with a reduction of only 1.33 percent (P=N.S). Simvastatin reduced serum total cholesterol and serum triglyceride by 29.88 percent (P<0.001) and 21.78 percent (P<0.001) respectively and increased serum HDL cholesterol by 16.67 percent (P<0.001). While gemfibrozil decreased serum total cholesterol by 9.14 percent (P<0.001) and serum triglyceride by 30.84 percent (P<0.001). Gemfibrozil raised serum HDL cholesterol levels by 18.08 percent (P<0.001). Conclusion: Significant changes were observed in all lipid parameters with both simvastatin and gemfibrozil with regard to duration of treatment. Simvastatin was found to be more effective in lowering serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels in comparison to gemfibrozil, which was found to be more effective in lowering serum triglyceride and elevating serum HDL cholesterol levels. Both of these drugs were well tolerated and none of the patients exhibited any significant adverse effects. Both can be given as monotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and abnormal lipid profile (JPMA 55:324;2005).


USER COMMENTS

WoW! A comparison of apples and oranges. First, this article appears like re-discovering Sun. Why to put patients through a study while facts are so well known from their molecular differences to their clinical effects? Is this ethically appropriate? Second, conclusion of this article is quite misleading. Simvastatin and gemfibrozil are used for very different types of dyslipidemias. Please don't use them interchangabley.
Posted by: rqayyum on Sep 2005

I am in agreement with you RQAYYUM...I am not only surprised at these studies but annoyed as well.I think these people in Pakistan are just trying to pout their names on one study or another I mean all these studies are BULL SH*** who doesnt know that gemfibrozil and statins work differently on lipid profile ..?? They are re-inventing wheels without knowledge of anything:) I am first time visitor of the website and its killing me now how they are publishing one bull shit articles one after another....God! I read many of your posts and I think ...we think alike...Keep it up:)
Posted by: SIMPLEMD on Jan 2008

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