Simvastatin, an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, is a potent inhibitor of cholesterol biosynthesis and has beneficial effects in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we report the effects of simvastatin on catecholamine secretion and synthesis in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells used as a model of sympathetic neurons. Simvastatin inhibited catecholamine secretion induced by acetylcholine, an agonist of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor; by veratridine, an activator of voltage-dependent Na ϩ channels; and by high K ϩ , an activator of voltage-dependent Ca 2ϩ

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Levels of factor VIII, factor VII-X, factor X, factor V, fibrinogen, antithrombin III, euglobulin lysis times, plasminogen, α2-macroglobulin, α1-antitrypsin and FDP were determined in 487 healthy normal subjects from age 20 to 94. In subjects over age 60, serum lipids were determined simultaneously.In the subjects over age 60, levels of factor VIII, fibrinogen, antithrombin III, α2-maeroglobulin, α1-antitrypsin and FDP were higher, factor V activity was lower, and euglobulin lysis times were shorter than in subjects under age 50. In the older subjects, levels of factor VII-X, factor X fibrinogen, antithrombin III, plasminogen and FDP showed slight but progressive decline with age. In these subjects over age 60, serum cholesterol levels were significantly correlated with levels of factor VII-X, factor X, antithrombin III, plasminogen and FDP; antithrombin III concentration was significantly correlated with factor X activity but not with factor VII-X activity; euglobulin lysis times were correlated with obesity.