22 May May Be No Benefit To Statins For Primary Prevention in Older Adults

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Benjamin Han, MD, MPH
Assistant professor
Departments of Medicine-Division of Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care, and Population Health
NYU Langone Medical Center

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: There are an increasing number of older adults being prescribed statins for primary prevention, but the evidence for the benefit for older adults is unclear.

Our study finds that in the ALLHAT-LLT clinical trial, there were no benefits in either all-cause mortality or cardiovascular outcomes for older adults who did not have any evidence of cardiovascular disease at baseline.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: We hope readers are aware that there may not be benefits for giving a statin for primary prevention for older adults, and there may be the suggestion of harm especially for adults 75 years of age and older. Older adults may be at increased risk for possible adverse effects of statins that could affect their function and mortality. Treatment recommendations need to be individualized for patients that also takes into consideration an older adults’ competing medical risks, functional status, and cardiovascular risk.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: Future research in primary cardiovascular prevention for older adults is needed that focus not just on cardiovascular outcomes, but also on function, geriatric conditions, and mortality. This will help providers weigh the benefits and the risks of statins for primary prevention for their older patients.

No disclosures

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Citation:

Han BH, Sutin D, Williamson JD, Davis BR, Piller LB, Pervin H, Pressel SL, Blaum CS, for the ALLHAT Collaborative Research Group. Effect of Statin Treatment vs Usual Care on Primary Cardiovascular Prevention Among Older AdultsThe ALLHAT-LLT Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. Published online May 22, 2017. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.1442

Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.

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Last Updated on May 22, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD