Hemorheological Activity of Gemfibrozil in Primary Hyperlipidemias

Abstract

All the various hemorheological determinants play a central role in the genesis and clinical developement of atherosclerosis (Dintenfass 1965; Smith and Staples 1981). As reported by several AA, modifications in the hemorheological pattern may be observed in different types of hyperlipidemias. A rise in SV and PV has been chiefly related to an increase in very low density lipoprotein (Leonhardt and Klemens 1977), while a decrease in BF, an expression of erythrocyte membrane flexibility, has been chiefly related to an increase of low density lipoprotein. The more membrane cholesterol is increased, the more inflexible the erythrocyte membrane becomes (Pretolani et al. 1983). Consequently, some studies on the effects of hypolipidemic drugs on hemorheological pattern have been carried out. Clofibrate, the most extensively investigated, decreases both PV and WBV through a reduction of fibrinogen plasma content (Dormandy et al. 1974). Today, the availability of Gemfibrozil, a new fibrate agent, has led us to investigate its action on hyperlipemic patients with an altered hemorheological pattern.