Effects of Pravastatin in the Elderly
Authors: John Simes, Peta Young, David Hunt
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2002)

Letters4 June 2002Effects of Pravastatin in the ElderlyJohn Simes, MD, Peta Young, MPH, and David Hunt, MDJohn Simes, MDNational Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials CentreUniversity of SydneyCamperdown NSW 1450, AustraliaRoyal Melbourne HospitalParkville Vic 3050, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this author, Peta Young, MPHNational Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials CentreUniversity of SydneyCamperdown NSW 1450, AustraliaRoyal Melbourne HospitalParkville Vic 3050, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this author, and David Hunt, MDNational Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials CentreUniversity of SydneyCamperdown NSW 1450, AustraliaRoyal Melbourne HospitalParkville Vic 3050, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-136-11-200206040-w3 SectionsAboutFull Text ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:We agree that a risk for cancer associated with long-term use of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors may not appear over 5 to 6 years and that longer follow-up is needed to assure safety. For this reason, we are following the patients from the LIPID study for at least 5 more years. Since closure of the main trial, during which patients received placebo or pravastatin, almost all patients in both randomized groups have continued receiving open-label pravastatin treatment. Long-term follow-up of this cohort will allow assessment of long-term effects of the initial treatment.Observational studies (1) and meta-analysis of highly ...References1. Law MR, Thompson SG. Low serum cholesterol and the risk of cancer: an analysis of the published prospective studies. Cancer Causes Control. 1991;2:253-61. [PMID: 1831389] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Muldoon MF, Manuck SB, Matthews KA. Lowering cholesterol concentrations and mortality: a quantitative review of primary prevention trials. BMJ. 1990;301:309-14. [PMID: 2144195] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Bjerre LM, LeLorier J. Do statins cause cancer? A meta-analysis of large randomized clinical trials. Am J Med. 2001;110:716-23. [PMID: 11403756] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. The Long-Term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischaemic Disease (LIPID) Study Group. Prevention of cardiovascular events and death with pravastatin in patients with coronary heart disease and a broad range of initial cholesterol levels. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:1349-57. [PMID: 9841303] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials CentreUniversity of SydneyCamperdown NSW 1450, AustraliaRoyal Melbourne HospitalParkville Vic 3050, Australia PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byHigh-risk elderly patients PROSPER from cholesterol-lowering therapy 4 June 2002Volume 136, Issue 11Page: W3KeywordsCancer treatmentLipidsObservational studiesOdds ratioRandomized trialsResearch laboratoriesSafetySerious adverse eventsStatinsSystematic reviews ePublished: 4 June 2002 Issue Published: 4 June 2002 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2002 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.Loading ...