Pitavastatin

Pitavastatin (usually as a calcium salt) is a member of the blood cholesterol lowering medication class of statins.

Pitavastatin is an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, the enzyme that catalyses the first step of cholesterol synthesis.

It was patented in 1987 and approved for medical use in 2003. It is available in Japan, South Korea and in India. In the US, it received FDA approval in 2009. Kowa Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Kowa Company, is the owner of the American patent to pitavastatin.

Pitavastatin is indicated for hypercholesterolaemia (elevated cholesterol) and for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.^{[citation needed]}

A 2009 study of the 104-week LIVES trial found pitavastatin increased HDL cholesterol, especially in patients with HDL lower than 40 mg/dL, who had a 24.6% rise, in addition to reducing LDL cholesterol 31.3%. HDL improved in patients who switched from other statins and rose over time. In the 70-month CIRCLE observational study, pitavastatin increased HDL more than atorvastatin.

It has neutral or possibly beneficial effects on glucose control. As a consequence, pitavastatin is likely to be appropriate for patients with metabolic syndrome plus high LDL, low HDL and diabetes mellitus.^{[citation needed]}

Common statin-related side effects (headaches, stomach upset, abnormal liver function tests and muscle cramps) were similar to other statins. Pitavastatin is a lipophilic statin. Reports indicate that this statin may lead to fewer muscle side effects than other statins. One study found that coenzyme Q₁₀ was not reduced as much as with certain other statins (though this is unlikely given the inherent chemistry of the HMG-CoA reductase pathway that all statin drugs inhibit).

There is evidence that pitavastatin does not increase insulin resistance in humans, with insulin resistance assessed by the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR) method.