Based on moderate quality evidence , due to concerns about risk of bias and imprecision , initiation of statin therapy within 14 days following ACS does not reduce death , myocardial infa rct ion , or stroke up to four months , but reduces the occurrence of unstable angina at four months following ACS .
Serious side effects were rare
BACKGROUND The early period following the onset of acute coronary syndrome ( ACS ) represents a critical stage of coronary heart disease , with a high risk of recurrent events and deaths .
The short-term effects of early treatment with statins on patient-relevant outcomes in patients suffering from ACS are unclear .
This is an up date of a review previously published in 2011 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects , both harms and benefits , of early administered statins in patients with ACS , in terms of mortality and cardiovascular events .
EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF ATORVASTATIN DURING EARLY HOSPITALIZATION IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH UNSTABLE ANGINA
1 Previous studies have demonstrated that early statin therapy after acute coronary syndrome decreases inflammation and mortality rates . The dose – response relationship for atorvastatin in elderly patients with unstable angina ( UA ) during early hospitalization in terms of lowering inflammatory factors , improving vascular endothelium function and safety is unclear . 2 In the present study , 166 consecutive patients with UA who were ≥ 60 years of age were r and omly assigned , in a double‐blind manner , to receive 80 or 20 mg/day atorvastatin . High‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein , interleukin‐6 , tumour necrosis factor‐α , fibrinogen and lipid levels were measured at admission and 1 , 2 and 8 weeks later . Vascular endothelial function was measured and the safety of the drug was monitored . 3 Levels of inflammatory factors were significantly lower in patients on 80 mg atorvastatin than in those on 20 mg atorvastatin at 2 and 8 weeks . Atorvastatin 80 mg not only result ed in a significant improvement in vascular endothelial function during early hospitalization for UA over that seen in patients on 20 mg atorvastatin , but also reduced lipid levels to a greater extent . At 8 weeks , almost all patients showed good tolerance of 80 mg/day atorvastatin . 4 The results of the present study indicate that intensive statin therapy with high‐dose ( 80 mg/day ) atorvastatin is more efficacious than and as safe as 20 mg/day atorvastatin when administered to elderly patients during early hospitalization for UA
Based on moderate quality evidence , due to concerns about risk of bias and imprecision , initiation of statin therapy within 14 days following ACS does not reduce death , myocardial infa rct ion , or stroke up to four months , but reduces the occurrence of unstable angina at four months following ACS .
Serious side effects were rare
BACKGROUND The early period following the onset of acute coronary syndrome ( ACS ) represents a critical stage of coronary heart disease , with a high risk of recurrent events and deaths .
The short-term effects of early treatment with statins on patient-relevant outcomes in patients suffering from ACS are unclear .
This is an up date of a review previously published in 2011 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects , both harms and benefits , of early administered statins in patients with ACS , in terms of mortality and cardiovascular events .