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Objective: The efficacy and safety of extended-release fluvastatin (fluvastatin XL), 80 mg once daily, was assessed in Turkish patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 3.37-5.70 mmol/l and triglyceride (TG) < 4.52 mmol/l).Research Design: In this open-label, prospective, multi-centre study, 154 patients were given fluvastatin XL 80 mg once daily and lipid levels were assessed after 2 and 12 weeks.Results: Fluvastatin XL 80 mg once daily significantly reduced LDL-C levels by 38.8 and 38.1% at weeks 2 (n = 140) and 12 (n = 116), respectively (p < 0.001 vs. baseline). Treatment with fluvastatin XL for 2 and 12 weeks significantly reduced total cholesterol levels by 30.2 and 27.4%, respectively (p < 0.001 vs. baseline) and reduced TG levels by 14.9 and 7.5%, respectively (p < 0.001 vs. baseline). Following stratification by risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, 87.3% of patients with > or = 2 risk factors, and 67.4% of patients with existing CHD or CHD risk equivalents achieved target LDL-C levels (< 3.37 mmol/l and < 2.59 mmol/l, respectively) with fluvastatin XL. Fluvastatin XL reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 8.9 and 4.7% at weeks 2 and 12 weeks, respectively. fluvastatin XL 80 mg once daily was generally well-tolerated.Conclusions: This open-label study indicates fluvastatin XL 80 mg once daily is an effective and well-tolerated lipid-lowering therapy for the reduction of CHD risk in Turkish patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Electrocardiographic (ECG) changes are observed in patients with acute stroke and are related with the prognosis. Aims: To determine the frequency and significance of ECG changes in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Material and Methods: In a prospective hospital-based study 87 patients with cerebral infarction were observed for ECG changes during their stay in the hospital. All the patients had ischemic stroke for the first time. The ECG changes observed were compared with those of the control group consisting of 87 patients. Results: Of the 87 patients of the study group, 47.1% were females and 52.9% males. The mean age was 65.5 ± 11.9. (range 31-91 yrs). The control group consisted of 50.6% females and 49.4% males. The mean age was 64.5 ± 9.1 (range 31-87 yrs). The frequency of the ECG changes observed in patients with cerebral infarct was 62.1% while it was 29.9% in the control group (P<0.0001). ECG changes observed were mostly related to myocardial ischemia. The six-month mortality rate in the patients with ECG changes was 38.9% whereas it was 15.2% in those with normal ECG (P<0.05). Conclusions: The observations of this study suggest that cardiac evaluation in patients with acute ischemic stroke is of prognostic importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]