Pravastatin But Not Simvastatin Improves Survival and Neurofunctional Outcome After Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Stefan Bergt; Andrea Grub; Steffen Wagner; Hauke Engelke; Gabriele Nöldge-Schomburg; Brigitte Vollmar; Jan P Roesner; Nana-Maria Wagner

doi:10.1016/j.jacbts.2017.01.009

Pravastatin But Not Simvastatin Improves Survival and Neurofunctional Outcome After Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

JACC Basic Transl Sci. 2017 Apr 12;2(2):149-159. doi: 10.1016/j.jacbts.2017.01.009. eCollection 2017 Apr.

Authors

Stefan Bergt¹, Andrea Grub¹, Steffen Wagner¹, Hauke Engelke¹, Gabriele Nöldge-Schomburg², Brigitte Vollmar², Jan P Roesner¹, Nana-Maria Wagner¹

Affiliations

¹ Clinic for Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, University Hospital Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
² Institute for Experimental Surgery, University Hospital Rostock, Rostock, Germany.

Abstract

Cardiac arrest (CA) followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with high mortality and poor neurological outcome. We compared the effects of pravastatin and simvastatin on survival and neurofunction in a murine model of CA/CPR. Pravastatin, a hydrophilic statin, increased survival and neurofunction during a 28-day follow-up period. This therapy was associated with improved pulmonary function, reduced pulmonary edema, and increased endothelial cell function in vitro. In contrast, lipophilic simvastatin did not modulate survival but increased pulmonary edema and impaired endothelial cell function. Although pravastatin may display a therapeutic option for post-CA syndrome, the application of simvastatin may require re-evaluation.

Keywords: CA, cardiac arrest; COX2, cyclooxygenase-2; CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation; ROSC, return of spontaneous circulation; cardiac arrest; endothelial cell function; ischemia and reperfusion injury; pravastatin; resuscitation; simvastatin.