Groundbreaking statins study shakes up medical world

A new study has revealed statins could be largely ineffective in preventing death and heart attacks for certain over-65s.

Statins are regularly prescribed to older adults as a preventative measure to help control cholesterol levels and, in theory, prevent the likelihood a heart attack or death.

However, the  study analysed 2,867 participants aged 65 and older with high blood pressure and no evidence of plaque buildup in their arteries and found contradictory evidence. 

The researches concluded that those taking statins were no less likely to die, experience heart attacks, or other cardiovascular events than those who were not.

The study made a clear distinction between taking statins to prevent a first-time heart attack and taking them to prevent a reoccurring cardiovascular incident, saying statins are still effective in preventing secondary heart attacks.

Benjamin H. Han, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine, NY, and colleagues reported their findings in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Professor Han noted that “many older patients take statins for primary cardiovascular prevention,” and that such use is on the rise.

An Australian study is currently being conducted into the same issue, with Professor Richard O’Brien is Clinical Dean of Medicine at the Austin Clinical School at the University of Melbourne, saying their results so far support the findings of the American study.

“The analysis found no statistically significant difference between the pravastatin and placebo groups in any of the outcomes measured. There was a trend towards a decrease in heart attacks but also a slight trend towards an increase in mortality in those taking pravastatin,” he said.

“The people in this analysis had no previous vascular disease: these results must not be extrapolated to people with previous heart attacks or strokes: there is a wealth of data from many studies that these people (including the elderly) derive great benefit from statin therapy.”

Do you take statins? What’s been your experience of it?