Efficacy and safety of statin therapy in older people: a meta-analysis of individual participant data from 28 randomised controlled trials

Publication date: 2–8 February 2019Source: The Lancet, Volume 393, Issue 10170Author(s): Jane Armitage, Colin Baigent, Elizabeth Barnes, D John Betteridge, Lisa Blackwell, Michael Blazing, Louise Bowman, Eugene Braunwald, Robert Byington, Christopher Cannon, Michael Clearfield, Helen Colhoun, Rory Collins, Björn Dahlöf, Kelly Davies, Barry Davis, James de Lemos, John R Downs, Paul Durrington, Jonathan EmbersonSummaryBackgroundStatin therapy has been shown to reduce major vascular events and vascular mortality in a wide range of individuals, but there is uncertainty about its efficacy and safety among older people. We undertook a meta-analysis of data from all large statin trials to compare the effects of statin therapy at different ages.MethodsIn this meta-analysis, randomised trials of statin therapy were eligible if they aimed to recruit at least 1000 participants with a scheduled treatment duration of at least 2 years. We analysed individual participant data from 22 trials (n=134 537) and detailed summary data from one trial (n=12 705) of statin therapy versus control, plus individual participant data from five trials of more intensive versus less intensive statin therapy (n=39 612). We subdivided participants into six age groups (55 years or younger, 56–60 years, 61–65 years, 66–70 years, 71–75 years, and older than 75 years). We estimated effects on major vascular events (ie, major coronary events, strokes, and coronary revascularisations), cause-specif...
Source: The Lancet - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research