Anti-adrenergic effect of <strong>atorvastatin</strong> 105 Figure 4 Cellular localization of G proteins. The long and short form of Gas (A and B) and Gb (C and D) were determined by western blot in cytosolic (A and C) and particulate fractions (B and D) of left ventricles of <strong>rat</strong>s treated for 14 days <strong>with</strong> water or <strong>atorvastatin</strong> and for 4 days <strong>with</strong> infusion of NaCl. b-actin was used as loading control. (E and F) Gg 3 in particulate fractions of <strong>rat</strong>s treated <strong>with</strong> NaCl (E) or ISO (F). Number in columns is equal to number of animals studied. Statins increased parameters of pump function in nonischaemic <strong>heart</strong> failure, 28 but did not reduce mortality in older patients <strong>with</strong> systolic <strong>heart</strong> failure in <strong>the</strong> CORONA study. 29 This argues against <strong>the</strong> idea that statins generally exert beneficial effects in patients <strong>with</strong> <strong>heart</strong> failure. Of note, 75% of patients in this study were on b-blockers which likely obscures any anti-adrenergic effect of statins. In conclusion, <strong>atorvastatin</strong> exerts a mild anti-adrenergic effect in <strong>rat</strong>s at a dose equivalent to <strong>the</strong> maximal licensed dose in humans. This effect is most likely mediated by a partial drop-out of Gg and Ga s <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> membrane and can be viewed as a potentially beneficial one. The relevance of this finding remains open, particular in view of <strong>the</strong> widespread use of b-blockers.
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