Statins for older people: Life prolonging or a ‘waste of time’?

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Statins for older people: Life prolonging or a ‘waste of time’?

Chris Ellis

Chris Ellis

ECG
ECG supplied

Knowing when to stop preventive medication can be a challenge. Consultant cardiologist Chris Ellis explains why older patients shouldn’t be too quick to drop their statin

Key points, For each 1mmol/L that LDL cholesterol is lowered, there is about a 20 per cent relative risk reduction in major vascular events. Lipid-lowering medi, Pract Green w Pale Yellow
References

1. Gencer B, Marston NA, Im K, et al. Efficacy and safety of lowering LDL cholesterol in older patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Lancet 2020;396(10263):1637–43.

2. Andersson NW, Corn G, Dohlmann TL, et al. LDL-C reduction with lipid-lowering therapy for primary prevention of major vascular events among older individuals. J Am Coll Cardiol 2023;82(14):1381–91.