Simvastatin and Carvedilol

[Marwan76]

Hi , anybody with liver compensated cirrhosis use Simvastatin and Carvedilol

My doctor suggest that both these drugs may help in

delaying progression of fibrosis/portal hypertension)

[CarpeDiem11]

I currently use Carvedilol. It is a beta blocker and is meant to reduce pressure in the veins, so that portal pressure( blood serving the liver) is reduced. Doing this means that they hope there will be less risk of varices developing. I can't tolerate anything higher than the low dose so I have had varices, but they are dealt with by endoscopy.

When portal pressure is higher, the portal vein (feeding the liver) cannot take all the blood.( leading to portal hypertension) This means some of it is redirected through the veins in the stomach and oesophagus, leading to swollen veins called varices.

Statins are prescribed for cholesterol, so I can't comment on this. Don't know if any of this was what you wanted to know?

[Marwan76 in reply to CarpeDiem11]

thanks for the reply , in fact i know why Carvedilol is used to reduce the portal vein pressure , but my question apart of this effect , does it has any impact on reducing the fibrosis of liver ?

[CarpeDiem11 in reply to Marwan76]

I'm afraid I don't know. However, I would say that usually portal hypertension usually presents when there is advanced fibrosis/ cirrhosis. As far as I am aware, only lifestyle changes that caused the damage to the liver will help to reverse fibrosis. In my case, I have an autoimmune disease, so this reversal of liver damage is not possible anyway, as it is not caused by lifestyle choices. So to reverse fibrosis, removal of alcohol/ drugs/ hep C by treatment etc etc

Since I am not medically qualified I cannot say for certain that the meds will not reverse the fibrosis, but I have never heard this being suggested before. Perhaps call the BLT helpline for a definitive answer.

[Bluegirl52]

I use Lipitor for my liver and not high cholesterol. There have been many studies on the positive effect that statins have on preventing HCC. There was also a study done on the positive effect they have on fibrosis. The latest article I read was from the Cleveland Clinic where they did a study of all the studies that had been done to date. You can read about it online. Talked to my dr about it after reading it.