Lochol: benefits and risks of fluvastatin therapy

Lochol

This prescription medicine is a hard capsule, which comes in sizes 1 and 3 and in 20 mg and in 10 mg (MIMS, 2010). Manufactured by Clonmel Healrhcare Ltd., its active ingredient is fluvastatin. Size 3 has 20 mg of the active ingredient and with a white body and a blue cap. Size 1 has a white body and a green cap (MIMS).

Benefits

Lochol is indicated for primary hypercholesterolaemia and mixed dyslipidaemia or high cholesterol (MIMS, 2010). It supports the diet of individuals suffering from high total cholesterol levels and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and their modified diet and other treatments are insufficient or inadequate in managing the condition (MIMS).

Lochol is also prescribed to patients suffering from coronary heart disease and for the adjust prevention of coronary conditions, which can follow coronary transcatheter treatment (MIMS, 2010). These include cardiac death, myocardial infarction, which is not fatal, and revascularization in the heart (MIMS).

Its active ingredient, fluvastatin, lowers cholesterol levels by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, which converts HMG-CoA into mevalonate, a precursor of sterols (MIMS, 2010). Cholesterol is one of these sterols. Fluvastatin asserts its strongest impact on the liver. It goes with one of two erythro enantiomers, which produces the effect. By inhibiting the biosynthesis of cholesterol, it reduces the amount of cholesterol in the liver. It thus stimulates the absorption of LDL receptors and increases the absorption of LDL particles. These mechanisms lead to the decrease of cholesterol concentration in the blood (MIMS).

Justification of Development

Balancing benefits and risks, the development process of the drug on the two-week study should be followed up by a four-week study but at a lower dosage for primary hypercholestrolaemia and mixed dyslipidaemia. Therapy should start at 20 to 40 mg a day and may be increased only to 80 mg. It should not be recommended for secondary prevention or for patients below 18 years old. Further clinical trials should also continue to explore an increase on its beneficial effects on primary high cholesterol levels and mixed dyslipidaeia.