Statins, also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are a class of drugs typically used to lower cholesterol levels in individuals prone to high cholesterol or heart disease. Commonly prescribed statins include Atorvastatin/Lipitor, Simvastatin/Zocor, Rosuvastatin/Crestor and Pravastatin/Pravachol.
SNPs have been identified that may reduce the effectiveness of statin therapy. These include SNPs in the HMG-CoA reductase HMGCR gene, such as:
SNPs have also been identified in genes predisposing individuals to heart disease, but for which statin therapy has been proven to reduce risk. These include:
- rs20455; pravastatin has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of coronary events in individuals carrying the risk allele for this SNP [PMID 18222353]
