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 .
Atorvastatin normalizes endothelial function in healthy smokers.
Endothelial function is known to predict cardiovascular disease . The aim of the present study was to examine whether endothelial function in smokers with normal cholesterol levels could be normalized by treatment with 80 mg of atorvastatin in comparison with a control group . Healthy smokers ( n=20 ) and non-smokers ( n=20 ) were r and omized to receive 80 mg of atorvastatin or placebo in an open r and omized cross-over study , followed by measurement of endothelial functional [ FMD ( flow-mediated dilation ) ] . At baseline , smokers had a lower FMD compared with the non-smoking group ( 2.2+/-0.5 and 4.5+/-0.8 % respectively ; P<0.05 ) . In the smoking group , FMD increased significantly ( P<0.05 ) to 4.0+/-0.8 % during treatment with atorvastatin and returned to basal levels during placebo ( 2.3+/-0.6 % ) . In the non-smoking group , FMD was unaffected by both atorvastatin and placebo . The net change of total cholesterol or LDL ( low-density lipoprotein)-cholesterol was not associated with the net change in FMD when the study group was considered as a whole or the smoking group was considered separately . In conclusion , improved endothelial function was observed in a group of smokers when they were received 80 mg of atorvastatin , whereas atorvastatin had no effect on endothelial function in the non-smoking group . The improved FMD among smokers was independent of the decrease in LDL-cholesterol during atorvastatin treatment . The results show that poor endothelial function in smokers with normal lipid levels can be improved by a statin treatment
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 .