Effects of statin therapy and exercise on postprandial triglycerides in overweight individuals with hypercholesterolaemia

Abstract

Aims To determine the effects of statins on postprandial lipaemia (PPL) and to study if exercise could enhance statin actions. Methods Ten hypercholesteraemic (blood cholesterol 204 ± 36 mg dL −1 ; low‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol 129 ± 32 36 mg dL −1 ) overweight (body mass index 30 ± 4 kg m −2 ), metabolic syndrome individuals chronically medicated with statins (>6 months) underwent 5‐hour PPL tests in 4 occasions in a randomized order: (i) substituting their habitual statin medication by placebo for 96 hours (PLAC trial); (ii) taking their habitual statin medicine (STA trial); (iii) placebo combined with a bout of intense aerobic exercise (EXER+PLAC trial); and (iv) combining exercise and statin medicine (EXER+STA trial). Results Before the fat meal, statin withdrawal (i.e. PLAC and EXER+PLAC) increased blood triglycerides (TG; 24%), low‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol (31%) and total cholesterol (19%; all P < .05) evidencing treatment compliance. After the meal, statin withdrawal increased 5‐hour postprandial TG (PPTG) compared to its matched trials (94% higher PLAC vs STA and 45% higher EXER+PLAC vs EXER+STA; P < .05). EXER+PLAC trial did not lower PPTG below PLAC (i.e. incremental AUC of 609 ± 152 vs 826 ± 190 mg dL −1 5 h; P = .09). Adding exercise to statin did not result in larger reductions in PPTG (i.e. EXER+STA vs STA incremental area under the curve of 421 ± 87 vs 421 ± 84 mg dL −1 5 h; P = .99). Conclusion In hypercholesteraemic metabolic syndrome individuals, chronic statin therapy blunts the elevations in TG after a fat meal (i.e. incremental area under the curve of PPTG) reducing the cardiovascular risk associated to their atherogenic dyslipidaemia. However, a single bout of intense aerobic exercise before the high fat meal, does not reduce PPTG but also does not interfere with the effects of statin treatment.

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