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 .
Reduction of Heat Shock Protein Antibody Levels by Statin Therapy
Atherosclerosis is a disease whose pathogenesis involves inflammatory and immunological mechanisms , including an autoimmune reaction against heat shock proteins ( Hsps ) . The purpose of this study was to analyze whether the antiatherogenic effect of statin therapy was not limited to its lipid lowering effect , but also included anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects , paying special attention to the measurement of circulating concentrations of anti-Hsp70 and anti-Hsp60 antibodies previously related to vascular disease . Two-hundred and seventy-five subjects aged 40–60 years , r and omly selected in an epidemiological study on the incidence of vascular risk factors , were studied . Laboratory tests included a complete lipid profile after a 12-h fast and measurements of glucose , C-reactive-protein , anti-Hsp70 and anti-Hsp60 antibodies .  Subjects with hypercholesterolemia had significantly higher concentrations of anti-Hsp70 antibodies as compared to subjects with normal cholesterol concentrations . Statin therapy was associated with 11.63 and 15.3 % reductions in total and LDL-cholesterol ( P = 0.005 and 0.017 , respectively ) as compared to untreated subjects , and with lower concentrations of circulating anti-Hsp70 ( P = 0.016 ) antibodies . No differences were found in C-reactive-protein values . Since statin therapy not only reduces lipid profile , but also anti-Hsp70 and anti-Hsp60 antibody concentrations , without changing C-reactive-protein values , it is suggested that such an effect could not be accounted for by the anti-inflammatory properties of statins , but by their direct immunomodulatory properties through their effects on lymphocyte function
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 .