Cholesterol levels drop after myocardial infarction

LONDON, September 4 (SPIS MedWire). Results from the LATIN (Lipid Assessment Trial Italian Network) demonstrate that cholesterol levels drop shortly after the onset of a myocardial infarction (MI), and may also be associated with the size of the infarct. DiChiara and colleagues conducted the LATIN study to determine the variation in lipid levels through the course of acute MI and unstable angina, and to evaluate the clinical and prognostic value of measurements taken at different times. Between 1998 and 1999 the team enrolled 1275 patients with MI and 589 with unstable angina who presented to 59 coronary care units across Italy. Their data clearly demonstrate a post-admission reduction in both total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol, in both sets of patients. The decrease was greatest after a few days, at –7% for total cholesterol and –12% for LDL-C, and became statistically significant (p<0.001) five hours after...