New Research Confirms That This “Wonder Drug” Decreases Older Adults’ Risk of Death

Statin therapy reduces cardiovascular and mortality risks in seniors over 60, proving safe and effective even beyond 85 years.

Statins, often hailed as a “wonder drug,” are a class of lipid-lowering medications that significantly reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. These drugs inhibit the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a crucial role in the production of cholesterol in the liver. By lowering cholesterol, statins help prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart attacks and strokes. They are commonly prescribed for both the treatment and prevention of CVD, making them integral to modern cardiovascular therapeutics.

A new study of adults aged 60 years and older has now found that the use of statin therapy as primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention was effective for preventing CVD and all-cause mortality, even in adults aged 85 years and older. The study was published on May 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong used a target trial emulation design to investigate the relationship between statin therapy and CVD risk using electronic health records (EHRs) from the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. The study included adult patients over 60 without preexisting diagnosed CVDs who met indications for statin treatment from January 2008 to December 2015. Patients with prior statin use, lipid-lowering drug use, cancer, myopathies, or liver dysfunction were excluded.

Statin therapy was defined as specific statin drugs, and outcomes included major CVDs, all-cause mortality, and adverse events. Follow-up was conducted until outcomes, death, loss to follow-up, or the end of the study. The data showed that in all age groups, initiating statin therapy was associated with a lower incidence of CVD and all-cause mortality, even among the older population aged 85 years or older. In addition, statin use did not increase the risk for adverse events, such as myopathies and liver dysfunction.

Reference: “Benefits and Risks Associated With Statin Therapy for Primary Prevention in Old and Very Old Adults: Real-World Evidence From a Target Trial Emulation Study” by Wanchun Xu, Amanda Lauren Lee, Cindy Lo Kuen Lam, Goodarz Danaei and Eric Yuk Fai Wan, 28 May 2024, Annals of Internal Medicine.
DOI: 10.7326/M24-000410.7326/M23-2867