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 .
Different Effects of Antihypertensive Regimens Based on Fosinopril or Hydrochlorothiazide With or Without Lipid Lowering by Pravastatin on Progression of Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis: Principal Results of PHYLLIS—A Randomized Double-Blind Trial
Background and Purpose — The Plaque Hypertension Lipid-Lowering Italian Study ( PHYLLIS ) tested whether ( 1 ) the angiotensin-converting enzyme ( ACE ) inhibitor fosinopril ( 20 mg per day ) was more effective on carotid atherosclerosis progression than the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide ( 25 mg per day ) , ( 2 ) pravastatin ( 40 mg per day ) was more effective than placebo when added to either hydrochlorothiazide or fosinopril , and ( 3 ) there were additive effects of ACE inhibitor and lipid-lowering therapies . Methods — A total of 508 hypertensive , hypercholesterolemic patients with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis were r and omized to : ( A ) hydrochlorothiazide ; ( B ) fosinopril ; ( C ) hydrochlorothiazide plus pravastatin ; and ( D ) fosinopril plus pravastatin , and followed up blindly for 2.6 years . B-Mode carotid scans were performed yearly by certified sonographers in 13 hospitals and read central ly . Corrections for drift were calculated from readings repeated at study end . Primary outcome was change in mean maximum intima-media thickness of far and near walls of common carotids and bifurcations bilaterally ( CBMmax ) . Results — CBMmax significantly progressed ( 0.010±0.004 mm per year ; P=0.01 ) in group A ( hydrochlorothiazide alone ) but not in groups B , C , and D. CBMmax changes in groups B , C , and D were significantly different from changes in group A. Changes in group A were concentrated at the bifurcations . “ Clinic ” and “ ambulatory ” blood pressure reductions were not significantly different between groups , but total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased by ≈1 mmol/L in groups C and D. Conclusions — Progression of carotid atherosclerosis occurred with hydrochlorothiazide but not with fosinopril . Progression could also be avoided by associating pravastatin with hydrochlorothiazide
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 .