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 .
Compliance and adverse event withdrawal: their impact on the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study.
AIMS To assess the additional benefit gained from high  compliance in the West of Scotl and Coronary Prevention Study and to examine cases where withdrawal from trial medication was due to an adverse event . METHODS The incidence of definite coronary heart disease or non-fatal myocardial infa rct ion , cardiovascular mortality , definite or suspect coronary heart disease death or non-fatal myocardial infa rct ion , the need for coronary revascularization procedures , all-cause mortality and incident cancers were measured in the entire cohort and compared with the high compliance group . The adverse events associated with withdrawal were coded by body system . RESULTS In subjects with compliance > or = 75 % , treatment with pravastatin result ed in a 38 % risk reduction for definite coronary heart disease death or non-fatal myocardial infa rct ion and for cardiovascular mortality , a 46 % reduction in risk or coronary revascularization and a 32 % risk reduction ( P = 0.015 ) for all-cause mortality . CONCLUSIONS The analysis of the effect of pravastatin in the subgroup of high compliers to r and omized medication demonstrated a substantial increase in the estimated risk reductions in comparison with that achieved in the intention-to-treat analysis . This result has significant implication s for the motivation of high compliance among patients and for the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of treatment
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 .