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 .
A double-blind trial on the effects of atorvastatin on glycemic control in Japanese diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia.
A double-blind , placebo-controlled , parallel-group study was performed to determine whether atorvastatin , a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor , could effectively and safely reduce plasma LDL-cholesterol concentrations in Japanese patients with type-2 diabetes without influencing glycemic control . The subjects were patients with hypercholesterolemia ( serum cholesterol concentration > or = 5.7 mmol/l ( 220 mg/dl ) ) and stable glycemic control . The fasting concentrations of hemoglobin A(1C ) ( HbA(1C ) ) , fructosamine , and 1,5-anhydroglucitol ( 1,5-AG ) were measured as indices of glycemic control . Plasma lipid concentrations and the safety of the drug were also examined . Forty eligible patients in two groups of 20 each were administered atorvastatin ( 10 mg/day ) or placebo . Neither atorvastatin nor placebo caused a significant change in HbA(1C ) , fructosamine , or 1,5-AG concentrations . Atorvastatin significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations from baseline by 29.7 % ( p<0.0001 ) and 41.6 % ( p<0.0001 ) , respectively . The incidence of clinical adverse events and that of abnormal changes in laboratory test values did not differ between the two groups . In this trial , atorvastatin effectively and safely reduced LDL-cholesterol concentrations in diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia without influencing glycemic control . These findings are clinical ly important because there are many diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia and such patients have a high risk of developing arteriosclerotic disease
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 .