Bulletin of Science and Practice · Mar 12, 2026
Endothelial Dysfunction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and the Possibility of Using Statins
By Sabirov I, Кинванлун ИГ, Tolebaeva A et al.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized not only by respiratory symptoms but also by systemic manifestations. Endothelial dysfunction is independent of classical risk factors and smoking among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, highlighting its possible multifactorial pathogenetic mechanism. Endothelial dysfunction involves vascular injury caused by systemic inflammation, hypoxia, and extracellular matrix damage through various mechanisms involving multiple pathways. Key factors in disease progression and systemic development include chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, decreased nitric oxide bioavailability, cellular senescence, and apoptosis, which contribute to the development of endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction is recognized as a critical factor in the systemic manifestations of several respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a key event in atherogenesis, linking respiratory disease and cardiovascular risk. Correction of endothelial dysfunction is considered an important therapeutic goal in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Statins, in addition to their pronounced lipid-lowering effect, have a broad spectrum of pleiotropic effects beyond lipid-lowering. Statin therapy statistically significantly improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation and reduces levels of proinflammatory cytokines and endothelin-1. This review article analyzes current scientific data on changes in endothelial function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the effects of statins on endothelial function and inflammation, substantiating the potential role of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors in the combination therapy of this disease. The objective of this review article is to summarize current data on endothelial function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the pleiotropic effects of statins in this patient population.