Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were reduced in all trials but there was evidence of heterogeneity of effects .
There was no evidence of any serious harm caused by statin prescription .
Evidence available to date showed that primary prevention with statins is likely to be cost-effective and may improve patient quality of life .
Recent findings from the Cholesterol Treatment Trialists study using individual patient data meta- analysis indicate that these benefits are similar in people at lower ( < 1 % per year ) risk of a major cardiovascular event .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Reductions in all-cause mortality , major vascular events and revascularisations were found with no excess of adverse events among people without evidence of CVD treated with statins
BACKGROUND Reducing high blood cholesterol , a risk factor for cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) events in people with and without a past history of CVD is an important goal of pharmacotherapy .
Statins are the first-choice agents .
Previous review s of the effects of statins have highlighted their benefits in people with CVD .
The case for primary prevention was uncertain when the last version of this review was published ( 2011 ) and in light of new data an up date of this review is required .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects , both harms and benefits , of statins in people with no history of CVD .
Once‐daily pravastatin in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia: A dose‐response study
This multicenter , double‐blind , placebo‐controlled study was conducted to evaluate dose‐response effects and safety of once‐daily administration of pravastatin , a new inhibitor of 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A ( HMG‐CoA ) reductase . Pravastatin 5 , 10 , 20 , 40 mg or placebo was administered at bedtime to 150 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia inadequately controlled on a low‐fat , low‐cholesterol ( AHA Phase I ) diet . After 8 weeks of treatment , pravastatin produced dose‐dependent reductions in low‐density lipoprotein ( LDL ) cholesterol of 19.2 to 34.1 % ( p⩽.001 vs. baseline and placebo ) and reductions in total cholesterol of 14.3 to 25.1 % ( p⩽.01 to p⩽.001 vs. placebo and p⩽.001 vs. baseline ) . The relationship between the loge dose of pravastatin and decrease in LDL cholesterol was linear ( p<0.002 ) . High‐density‐lipoprotein cholesterol increased up to 11.7 % and triglycerides decreased by as much as 23.9 % . Pravastatin was well tolerated ; no patient withdrew from the study as a consequence of treatment‐related adverse events . Despite its relatively short serum half‐life of approximately 2 h , once‐daily administration of pravastatin provides a safe and effective means of reducing elevated LDL and total cholesterol
Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were reduced in all trials but there was evidence of heterogeneity of effects .
There was no evidence of any serious harm caused by statin prescription .
Evidence available to date showed that primary prevention with statins is likely to be cost-effective and may improve patient quality of life .
Recent findings from the Cholesterol Treatment Trialists study using individual patient data meta- analysis indicate that these benefits are similar in people at lower ( < 1 % per year ) risk of a major cardiovascular event .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Reductions in all-cause mortality , major vascular events and revascularisations were found with no excess of adverse events among people without evidence of CVD treated with statins
BACKGROUND Reducing high blood cholesterol , a risk factor for cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) events in people with and without a past history of CVD is an important goal of pharmacotherapy .
Statins are the first-choice agents .
Previous review s of the effects of statins have highlighted their benefits in people with CVD .
The case for primary prevention was uncertain when the last version of this review was published ( 2011 ) and in light of new data an up date of this review is required .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects , both harms and benefits , of statins in people with no history of CVD .