Statin Use Lowers Risk of All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality

Statin therapy is associated with reduced risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in adults at increased CVD risk but without prior CVD events, according to a recent analysis.

In order to systematically review the benefits and harms of statin therapy for the prevention of CVD, The United States Preventive Services Task Force commissioned a review of 19 randomized clinical trials of statins vs placebo, fixed-dose vs titrated statins, and higher- vs lower-intensity statins in adults without prior CVD events.
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Overall, the review included 71,344 participants. Statin therapy was associated with decreased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, and composite cardiovascular outcomes. Statins were not associated with increased risk of adverse events, myalgias, or liver-related harms, nor with increased risk of diabetes, although statistical heterogeneity was present.

“In adults at increased CVD risk but without prior CVD events, statin therapy was associated with reduced risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and CVD events, with greater absolute benefits in patients at greater baseline risk,” the researchers concluded.

“Additional research is needed to directly compare effects of statin therapy to target lipid levels vs fixed-dose therapy and higher- vs lower-intensity statin therapy; to more definitively determine whether statin therapy is associated with increased diabetes or cataract risk; and to determine how statin intensity affects risk.”

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Chou R, Dana T, Blazina I, et al. Statins for prevention of cardiovascular disease in adultsevidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force [published online November 15, 2016]. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.15629.