Preoperative lipid control with simvastatin reduces the risk for graft failure already 1 year after myocardial revascularization

Hypercholesterolemia is a recognized risk factor for development of atherosclerosis in both native coronary arteries and bypass grafts. Lipid-lowering therapy with statins is effective. Few data are available for studies on bypass grafts. The influence of hypercholesterolemia on development of bypass graft disease was studied. Clinical and angiographic follow up 1 yr after CABG of patients with a preoperative cholesterol >6.2 mmol/l, with a preoperative lipid control (group 2) or controls (group 1) and patients with cholesterol