Assessment of the Antiviral Effect of Atorvastatin on Hepatitis C Virus
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2006-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
We hypothesize that atorvastatin will decrease HCV viral load in patients taking the
medication.
Cholesterol is needed for HCV virion production. Cell culture studies have shown that
atorvastatin (an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor) decreases HCV viral replication. As
atorvastatin has been proven to decrease heart attack and stroke in patients with high
cholesterol, this medication is indicated for the treatment of elevated cholesterol in at
risk individuals. Therefore we propose to study the effect atorvastatin has on the viral load
of patients initiated on atorvastatin therapy for their elevated cholesterol.