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 .
Effects of atorvastatin on dyslipidaemia in uraemic patients on peritoneal dialysis.
BACKGROUND Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of atorvastatin , a potent cholesterol- and triglyceride-lowering agent , in peritoneal dialysis patients with dyslipidaemia . METHODS Peritoneal dialysis patients with hypercholesterolaemia were treated for 4 months with atorvastatin at a starting dose of 10 mg . The dose could be increased to 20 or 40 mg in order to achieve the following targets : plasma LDL-cholesterol of 130 mg/dl for primary prevention of coronary heart disease , plasma LDL cholesterol of 100 mg/dl for secondary prevention , and plasma triglycerides of 200 mg/dl . Plasma lipid profile and liver and muscle enzyme levels were assessed at baseline and then monthly during treatment . RESULTS Thirty-one patients with hypercholesterolaemia were included ( 16 males and 15 females ; mean age 57+/-16 years ; mean duration of peritoneal dialysis 27+/-17 months ) . Nineteen of the patients also had hypertriglyceridaemia and seven had diabetes . Twenty patients had no coronary history ( primary prevention ) , whereas nine had experienced a coronary event ( secondary prevention ) . In the primary and the secondary prevention patients , mean LDL-cholesterol levels ( mg/dl ) decreased significantly by 42 and 46 % from 204+/-23 to 119+/-27 ( P<0 . 001 ) and 198+/-37 to 104+/-21 ( P<0.001 ) , and mean triglyceride levels ( mg/dl ) decreased by 37 and 26 % from 289+/-132 to 186+/-92 ( P<0.001 ) and 201+/-62 to 150+/-54 ( P<0.001 respectively ) . Nineteen primary prevention and seven secondary prevention patients achieved the LDL-cholesterol target . The triglyceride target was achieved by 15 of the 19 hypertriglyceridaemic patients . Two patients stopped treatment ( one because of gastrointestinal disturbances , the other because of an allergic skin reaction ) . After 4 months , there were no changes in enzyme levels . CONCLUSION Atorvastatin is an effective and safe lipid-lowering agent for peritoneal dialysis patients with mixed dyslipidaemia
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 .