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 .
Predictors of new-onset diabetes in patients treated with atorvastatin: results from 3 large randomized clinical trials.
OBJECTIVES We sought to examine the incidence and clinical predictors of  new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus ( T2DM )  within 3 large r and omized trials with atorvastatin . BACKGROUND Statin therapy might modestly increase the risk of new-onset T2DM . METHODS We used a st and ard definition of diabetes and excluded patients with prevalent diabetes at baseline . We identified baseline predictors of new-onset T2DM and compared the event rates in patients with and without new-onset T2DM . RESULTS In the TNT ( Treating to New Targets ) trial , 351 of 3,798 patients r and omized to 80 mg of atorvastatin  and 308 of 3,797 r and omized to 10 mg developed new-onset T2DM ( 9.24 % vs. 8.11 % , adjusted hazard ratio [ HR ] : 1.10 , 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] : 0.94 to 1.29 , p = 0.226 ) . In the IDEAL ( Incremental Decrease in End Points Through Aggressive Lipid Lowering ) trial , 239 of 3,737 patients r and omized to atorvastatin 80 mg/day and 208 of 3,724 patients r and omized to simvastatin 20 mg/day developed new-onset T2DM ( 6.40 % vs. 5.59 % , adjusted HR : 1.19 , 95 % CI : 0.98 to 1.43 , p = 0.072 ) . In the SPARCL ( Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels ) trial , new-onset T2DM developed in 166 of 1,905 patients r and omized to atorvastatin 80 mg/day and in 115 of 1,898 patients in the placebo group ( 8.71 % vs. 6.06 % , adjusted HR : 1.37 , 95 % CI : 1.08 to 1.75 , p = 0.011 ) . In each of the 3 trials , baseline fasting blood glucose , body mass index , hypertension , and fasting triglycerides were independent predictors of new-onset T2DM . Across the 3 trials , major cardiovascular events occurred in 11.3 % of patients with and 10.8 % of patients without new-onset T2DM ( adjusted HR : 1.02 , 95 % CI : 0.77 to 1.35 , p = 0.69 ) . CONCLUSIONS High-dose atorvastatin treatment compared with placebo in the SPARCL trial is associated with a slightly increased risk of new-onset T2DM . Baseline fasting glucose level and features of the metabolic syndrome are predictive of new-onset T2DM across the 3 trials
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 .