Pfizer: Lipitor reduces risk of coronary events in diabetes patients

Pfizer has reported that type two diabetes patients who have no history of coronary heart disease experiencing a stroke or mini-stroke administered with Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) exhibited a reduced risk of stroke, major coronary events and coronary heart disease events.

This result of new analysis of the stroke prevention by aggressive reduction in cholesterol levels (Sparcl) trial was presented to the American Diabetes Association.

According to the data, patients receiving Lipitor saw their risk of stroke reduced by 30 per cent, while the risk of developing coronary heart disease or major coronary events fell by 51 per cent, when compared to administration with placebo.

Dr Michael Welch, lead investigator of the Sparcl trial, commented that patients experiencing a stroke with type two diabetes are more likely to experience a revascularisation procedure, coronary heart disease event or second stroke than patients without the condition.

“In this analysis of patients with type two diabetes with no known coronary heart disease, we found Lipitor to be effective in reducing these risks,” he said.

In March 2007, Pfizer reported the results of two economic analyses revealing that heart disease patients administered with Lipitor saw lower hospitalisation costs than those patients who were not.