Statin Therapy In Atrial Refractoriness and Reperfusion Injury
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2014-08-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Patients with coronary artery disease are often prescribed drugs called statins because
research has shown that, by lowering cholesterol, they reduce the risk of having a heart
attack or other complications in the long-term. Experimental studies have suggested that
statins may also have rapid anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti arrhythmic actions;
however, whether these effects are of any benefit to patients remains to be proven. The
purpose of STARR trial (Statin Therapy in Atrial Refractoriness and Reperfusion injury) is to
evaluate whether a short course of a commonly used statin (atorvastatin, 80 mg once a day)
decreases inflammation and stabilises electrical properties of the upper chamber of the heart
in the post operative period of patients undergoing cardiac surgery on the heart-lung machine
either for valve replacement and/or coronary artery bypass grafting. It will also examine
whether this treatment can protect the heart from sustaining tissue damage when blood supply
is restored after a period of ischaemia during the course of the surgery.In addition it will
also explore the impact of this intervention on biology of the vessels used for bypass
surgery and the fat tissue in the vicinity of the heart & blood vessels.