Pleiotropic Effects of Statins: Focus on Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Immunomodulation (Part I).
Statins are the most widely prescribed class of drugs for cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) prevention due to their potent lipid-lowering effects. However, accumulating evidence demonstrates additional cardioprotective properties of statins mediated through pleiotropic mechanisms unrelated to cholesterol modulation. We aimed to discuss the pleiotropic effects of statins and their relevance to clinical outcomes in 2 reviews: Part I focuses on anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of statins, whereas Part II on statin-induced endothelial function improvement, plaque stabilization and anti-thrombotic effects. Part II also includes a clinical applications and future directions section.
A literature search was conducted in Embase, Scopus, web of science, PubMed and Cochrane Library databases for experimental and clinical studies investigating the effects of statins on inflammation, oxidative stress and immune function. Statins exert potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities that can be linked to reduced CV events. Statins confer cardio protection via diverse pleiotropic pathways distinct from cholesterol modulation. Future directions involve optimizing regimens to maximize clinical benefits, addressing controversies, and exploring statins' therapeutic potential beyond CVD through non-lipid mechanisms. A comprehensive understanding of statins' pleiotropic profile will uncover new preventive strategies and therapeutic applications.
A literature search was conducted in Embase, Scopus, web of science, PubMed and Cochrane Library databases for experimental and clinical studies investigating the effects of statins on inflammation, oxidative stress and immune function. Statins exert potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities that can be linked to reduced CV events. Statins confer cardio protection via diverse pleiotropic pathways distinct from cholesterol modulation. Future directions involve optimizing regimens to maximize clinical benefits, addressing controversies, and exploring statins' therapeutic potential beyond CVD through non-lipid mechanisms. A comprehensive understanding of statins' pleiotropic profile will uncover new preventive strategies and therapeutic applications.