Consider time-to-benefit when prescribing statins

Reuters Health - 20/11/2020 - Primary prevention with statins can reduce cardiovascular (CV) events in some adults aged 50 to 75, if they have a life expectancy of at least 2.5 years, according to a new meta-analysis. Treating 100 adults with no known CV disease with statins for 2.5 years would prevent one major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) in one patient, Dr. Lindsey C. Yourman of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues report in JAMA Internal Medicine. "It takes at least 2.5 years treating 100 patients before you prevent ANY cardiovascular event in ONE of your patients," Dr. Yourman told Reuters Health by email. "So, for patients that have advanced illness with a life-expectancy of less than 2.5 years, or who have a lot of other pressing medical problems, checking cholesterol and starting a statin should be lower on the priority list if at all." Statins are recommended for adults aged 40 to 75 years at elevated risk of CV disease, typ...

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Posted on 20 November, 202026 November, 2020