Arabic version: الستاتينات تقلّص خطر أول حدث قلبي بعد سن السبعين

According to The Guardian, a world-first Australian-led clinical trial has found that daily statins can safely reduce the risk of a first heart attack, stroke or need for heart surgery in otherwise healthy people aged over 70. The cholesterol-lowering medicines were linked to a low risk of serious side effects.

Monash University researchers examined cardiovascular outcomes for almost 10,000 participants aged over 70, who received either a daily statin or a placebo in a randomised controlled trial. Nearly 3,400 GPs across Australia helped enrol participants. Researchers excluded people with conditions that could make statins unsafe, people not living independently and those who already needed the medication after a heart attack.

Over a decade, the study found statins reduced the risk of a first major cardiovascular event by 30%. In practical terms, treating 37 older adults with daily statins for almost six years could prevent one major cardiac event. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Saturday and presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Germany.

Lead researcher Adjunct Prof Sophia Zoungas said the evidence could support updated treatment guidelines. The trial found no statistically significant difference in dementia rates between people who received a statin and those who did not. However, more than 15% of participants discontinued their medication, and disability-free survival was the same in the statin and placebo groups. Cardiologists noted that the participants were almost exclusively white, with a mean age of around 75, limiting how broadly the results can be applied without further evidence. Researchers said older patients should discuss with their GP whether statins are appropriate.