Intensive lipid-lowering therapy, using atorvastatin 80 mg, is an effective and safe way to reduce the recurrence of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with coronary artery disease and ICD implants, as per the results of the Cholesterol Lowering and Arrhythmia Recurrences after Internal Defibrillator Implantation (CLARIDI) study presented during the late-breaking clinical-trials session at the Heart Rhythm Society 2006 Scientific Sessions.

This multicenter trial comprised hospitals in Belgium and Greece and enrolled coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with a life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia requiring an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD). A total of 106 patients were randomized to atorvastatin 80 mg or placebo and followed for one year.

The study showed that atorvastatin reduced the following events vs. placebo:

Atorvastatin was well tolerated with no significant increase in treatment related adverse events.

Thus, results from the CLARIDI study support the hypothesis that statins appear to have antiarrhythmic effects.