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A groundbreaking study has revealed that using statin therapy as the primary treatment for preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) is effective in reducing heart disease risk and all-cause mortality, even among adults aged 85 years and older. This study, published on Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, marks a significant advancement in the understanding of statin use among older populations.
Statins are medications known for their ability to lower cholesterol levels in the blood, which in turn reduces the risk of developing CVDs. The new findings emerge from research conducted by the University of Hong Kong, which addresses the longstanding debate on the efficacy of statins for primary prevention of heart disease in adults aged 75 years and older. Previous studies have often excluded this age group, leading to a lack of comprehensive data.
The study included adult patients over 60 who had no preexisting diagnosed CVDs, with an average follow-up period of 5.3 years. Among the 42,680 adults aged 75 to 84 years, 9,676 developed CVD. In the group of 5,390 adults aged 85 years or older, 1,600 developed CVD. Despite these figures, the research highlighted a significant reduction in the incidence of CVD and all-cause mortality for those who initiated statin therapy.
“The results showed that in all age groups, initiating statin therapy was associated with a lower incidence of CVD and all-cause mortality,” the researchers noted. “This was seen even among the older population aged 85 years or older.”
Importantly, the study found that statin use did not increase the risk of adverse events such as myopathies (muscle diseases) and liver dysfunction, which are often concerns when prescribing medications to older adults.
However, the researchers did acknowledge certain limitations in their study. They pointed out the potential impact of unmeasured confounders, such as lifestyle factors like diet and physical activity, which were not accounted for in the analysis.
This study provides compelling evidence supporting the use of statins for primary prevention of heart disease across all age groups, including the very elderly. As the global population continues to age, these findings could have significant implications for public health strategies aimed at reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease.
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