TORONTO, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- Canadian scientists say the use of statins may reduce heart attack and stroke risks in people regardless of whether they have cardiovascular disease.
The findings by Dr. Paaladinesh Thavendiranathan and colleagues at the University of Toronto suggest regular use of statins might reduce the risk of major heart and cerebrovascular events, but not coronary heart disease or overall death.
Statins have long been shown to reduce death and other negative outcomes associated with heart and cerebrovascular disease among those who already have these conditions, but it's been less clear whether statin usage benefits those without cardiovascular disease.
Current guidelines recommend statins for cardiovascular patients based on their LDL-C or "bad cholesterol" level. For patients without cardiovascular disease and with normal LDL-C levels, statins are recommended only for individuals with diabetes or with other cardiac risk factors that raise their 10-year risk of a heart attack to at least 10 percent.
Thavendiranathan and colleagues analyzed seven previously published clinical trials that assessed the benefits of statins in 42,848 patients, 90 percent of whom had no history of cardiovascular disease.
The study is detailed in the current issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
