Perioperative Statin Therapy for Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Abstract

Coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with an intense systemic inflammatory response, which is linked to postoperative complications. Beyond lipid lowering, statins exert a constellation of beneficial actions, including an antiinflammatory role, known as pleiotropic effects. There is increasing evidence that perioperative statin therapy improves outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Statins are underused in the coronary artery bypass grafting population, because perioperative discontinuation remains a common practice. This article provides an extensive review of the available literature on the effect of perioperative statin therapy on post–coronary artery bypass grafting outcomes and weighs the evidence for the concerns about increased incidence of statin-related adverse effects in this setting.