Pharmacogenetics of Cardiovascular Disease: Genetic Variation and Statin Intolerance

Abstract

Statins are very effective for lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol for primary and secondary cardiovascular disease prevention. While statins are usually well tolerated , individual response to statin therapy varies and intolerance, predominantly muscle symptoms, may appear in a significant proportion of patients. Besides clinical factors, variation in genes coding for proteins with drug transporting, immune or enzymatic function have been implicated in the pathogenesis of statin intolerance. In this review, we will characterise the candidate gene variants for development of statin intolerance, describe their population distribution and summarise current knowledge on their biological plausibility. Clinical relevance and current guidelines/recommendations will be also discussed.