Key facts
- Daily statins can safely reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes in healthy people over 70.
- A clinical trial found a 30% reduction in major cardiovascular events for this demographic.
- One major cardiac event can be prevented for every 37 older adults treated with statins over almost six years.
- The study found no statistically significant increase in dementia rates among statin users.
- Over 15% of participants discontinued statin medication during the trial.
A world-first clinical trial has demonstrated that daily statin medication can safely reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes in healthy individuals over the age of 70. The decade-long study, led by Australian researchers from Monash University and involving nearly 10,000 participants recruited with the help of almost 3,400 GPs, found a 30% decrease in the risk of a first major cardiovascular event.
Statins are already widely prescribed to younger individuals with specific risk factors or those who have previously experienced a major heart event. However, evidence for their preventative benefit in healthy older adults was previously lacking. The study aimed to fill this information gap, as increasing age is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Researchers excluded participants with conditions that might make statin use unsafe, those not living independently, or individuals already requiring the medication.
The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggest that one major cardiac event could be prevented for every 37 older adults treated with daily statins over approximately six years. Cardiologists noted that this research could lead to increased statin use globally among the elderly and boost patient confidence in long-term statin therapy. However, it was also noted that the study population was almost exclusively white, with a mean age around 75, potentially limiting the generalizability of the results.
Furthermore, the trial addressed concerns about statins and dementia, finding no statistically significant difference in dementia rates between the statin and placebo groups. Despite the reduction in major heart events, the study did not find a difference in disability-free survival, indicating that while cardiovascular events were reduced, the overall health burdens of aging were less amenable to this intervention. A notable finding was that over 15% of patients discontinued their medication during the trial, highlighting potential adherence challenges.