Effect of Pravastatin on Endothelial Dysfunction Following a Single High Fat Meal
Effect of Pravastatin on Endothelial Dysfunction Following a Single High Fat Meal
There is significant evidence that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, a commonly used class of
 cholesterol lowering medications, reduce the risk of death from coronary disease. Although
 these medicines lower cholesterol levels, other studies suggest that they have an additional
 effect on improving blood vessel functioning. It has also been shown that consumption of a
 fatty meal temporarily alters blood vessel functioning, causing endothelial dysfunction. This
 study will examine if pravastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, improves blood vessel
 functioning after a fatty meal. We plan on enrolling 32 subjects, aged 18-40 years, who are
 healthy with no history of diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, or heart disease. These
 subjects will be randomly assigned to initially receive four days of pravastatin or an
 inactive substance, and then crossed over to the other group. Blood vessel functioning will
 be monitored by a technique called flow mediated vasoactivity, which uses ultrasound
 measurement of the forearm artery and its response to temporary occlusion. This primary
 measure of flow mediated vasoactivity will be done before and after consumption of a fatty
 meal. We hope to show that treatment with pravastatin prevents the blood vessel dysfunction
 known to occur after a high fat meal. Secondary outcomes will include measurement of
 endothelin-l, a mediator of blood vessel functioning, and assessment of changes in lipid
 profiles. If pravastatin does prevent endothelial dysfunction in this setting, it could lead
 to further studies about their use in more acute medical settings, including heart attacks or
 strokes.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  No history of the following: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and coronary
 artery disease