Objective   To observe the effect of different doses of atorvastatin on vascular endothelial function in elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction.

  Methods   According to random number table method, 100 elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction were divided into group A and group B, with 50 cases in each group. The group A was given 20 mg/d atorvastatin, while the group B was given 60 mg/d atorvastatin. Vascular endothelial function, blood lipid indexes, plaque thickness, neurological deficit degree and medication safety were compared between the two groups.

  Results   After treatment, flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and nitric oxide (NO) in two groups were significantly higher than those before treatment, endothelin (ET) was significantly lower than that before treatment, FMD and NO in the group B were significantly higher, and ET in the group B was significantly lower than those in the group A (P < 0.05); the triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment, the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly higher than that before treatment, and TG, TC and LDL-C in the group B were significantly lower, and HDL-C was significantly higher than that in the group A (P < 0.05); the carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and the score of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment, and the above indicators in the group B were significantly lowerthan those in the group A (P < 0.05). No serious adverse reactions occurred in two groups during treatment.

  Conclusion   Compared with lose-dose atorvastatin, high-dose atorvastatin has better effects on blood lipid and vascular endothelial function in elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction, can reduce the degree of nerve defect and has certain safety.