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 .
Ethnic variations in lipid-lowering in response to a statin (EVIREST): a substudy of the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT).
BACKGROUND Statins improve lipid profiles and reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality but there are few data on their relative effects in different ethnic groups . METHODS We used data from the r and omised , placebo-controlled Anglo-Sc and inavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial-Lipid Lowering Arm ( ASCOT-LLA ) to conduct a prespecified comparison of the lipid-lowering efficacy of statin therapy among hypertensive participants from different ethnic groups in the UK and Irel and . The effects of atorvastatin ( 10 mg daily ) and placebo on fasting plasma lipid profiles were compared in matched groups of Whites and Blacks ( of African-Caribbean or African origin ) and Whites and South Asians ( from the Indian subcontinent ) , adjusting for placebo effect . RESULTS In the active treatment group , 156 Blacks and 72 South Asians were compared with 419 and 198 Whites , respectively . In multivariable analyses adjusted for baseline lipid levels and other potential confounders , atorvastatin reduced total cholesterol , low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and triglycerides from baseline in all ethnic groups . There were no clinical ly or statistically significant differences in the effect between Whites and Blacks or between Whites and South Asians after adjusting for placebo effect ; similar proportions in each group achieved lipid targets . There was no significant effect of atorvastatin on high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol in any group . CONCLUSIONS A st and ard dose of atorvastatin improved lipid profiles to a similar extent in Whites , Blacks and South Asians . Given the proven benefits of statins , these results suggest that , when used in st and ard doses , they are likely to be similarly effective for cardiovascular disease prevention in all ethnic groups
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 .