31 Jan 2019
The risk of heart attacks and strokes increases markedly with age. A high level of LDL cholesterol can lead to hardening and narrowing of the arteries and cardiovascular disease. Statins are drugs which help lower the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood and are prescribed to millions of people globally.
A new research from the Medical Research Council, studying 187,000 people age from 55 to over 75 years, show that Statin therapy reduces major vascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, in a wide range of people, including those over the age of 75. Overall, statin treatment reduced the risk of a major vascular event.
The researchers recommend that there is a need to ensure that patients at risk of cardiovascular disease due to their age are offered statin therapy where there is good reason to believe that it will be beneficial.
Side effects
The study found that statin therapy did not increase the risk of deaths from non-cardiovascular disease, or the risk of cancer, at any age.
Take home message and advice
The use of statins significantly reduces heart attacks and strokes in people age 55 to over 75 years.
Anyone with concerns about whether statin therapy is suitable for them should discuss this with their doctor/GP.
The work was funded by the MRC, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the British Heart Foundation (BHF)
Photo credit - Paramount Direct
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