Lipid lowering and aortic valve disease

Several retrospective and nonrandomized studies have indicated that lowering atherogenic lipoprotein, in particular low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, may retard the hemodynamic progression of aortic stenosis (AS). This valvular disease shares pathogenic and pathoanatomic similarities with atherosclerosis, at least in their early developments. Two randomized placebo-controlled studies researching the effect of lowering low-density lipoprotein on AS progression and its clinical consequences have been published recently—the Scottish Aortic Stenosis and Lipid Lowering Trial, Impact on Regression (SALTIRE) study and the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) study. Both of these studies had neutral outcomes. The causes for the negative outcome may be that cholesterol lowering does not influence AS development in a clinically significant way or it may be due to traits in the design of the studies or treatments. Therefore, statin treatment for prevention of AS progression cannot be ruled out as a future therapeutic option in AS. The outcome of the ongoing Aortic Stenosis Progression Observation: Measuring Effects of Rosuvastatin (ASTRONOMER) study, which is examining lipid lowering as a treatment for AS, is greatly anticipated.