The first head-to-head comparison of two popular cholesterol-lowering medications showed that only one of the statins successfully stopped the progression of heart disease. The Cleveland Clinic-led research also found that people’s cholesterol levels had to be cut to much lower levels than national guidelines currently recommend to achieve this result. The REVERSAL trial, directed by Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Steven Nissen, M.D., compared the highest doses available at the time of two popular statin drugs, pravastatin and atorvastatin. Both medications work to block the liver’s ability to produce harmful cholesterol, which can clog coronary arteries. Complete trial results will be published March 3 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
