NCT01151306

The Effect of Statins in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The Cardiovascular and Inflammatory Effects of Statin Therapy in Patients With COPD

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 4
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 70 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Nottingham · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 45 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition of the lungs which results in breathing difficulties due to the lungs becoming inflamed and the airways narrowed. Current treatments have focused on opening up the narrowed airways but, in addition, we know there is increased inflammation in the blood and these patients are at increased risk of heart disease. Statins, simvastatin being one of them, are drugs used to lower cholesterol in the blood but may also reduce inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease. This study will explore whether simvastatin reduces one of the risk factors in patients with COPD in a short term proof of principle study. The key purpose is to determine whether simvastatin improves the pressure and stiffness of the main blood vessels namely the arterial stiffness measure of aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV). In parallel, we will describe changes in airways and / or blood inflammation and change in breathing ability

Conditions

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Simvastatin	Simvastatin 20mg once daily (in the evening) for 6 weeks
DRUG	Lactose tablet	One tablet taken each evening for 6 weeks

Timeline

• Start date: 2010-06-01
• Primary completion: 2013-04-01
• Completion: 2013-08-01
• First posted: 2010-06-28
• Last updated: 2014-03-24

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom