Statins work by lowering cholesterol. They are one of the most widely prescribed drugs in the UK, based on a wealth of evidence that they save lives by reducing a person’s risk of a deadly or disabling heart attack or stroke.
Now a new study has investigated 28 major statins treatment clinical trials, totaling 186,854 people. The study observed the effect of statins in a wide range of age groups: 55 and under, 56-60, 61-65, 66-70, 71-75, and over 75 years of age.
Scientists found a significant reduction in heart and circulatory events in all six age groups, including people over 75 years of age at the start of their treatment.
In these older people, statin treatment brought down the danger of a serious occasion by up to 20% for each millimole per liter decrease in ‘bad’ or LDL, cholesterol.
These discoveries pursue on from many years of research demonstrating that individuals who have just endured a heart assault or stroke will fundamentally bring down their danger of a future occasion by taking them.
Medical Director, Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, said: “Concern has been raised about the benefits of statins in older people. This large analysis provides powerful evidence that statins reduce heart attacks and strokes in older people, as they do in younger people, and are safe. Age should not be a barrier to prescribing these potentially life-saving drugs to people who are likely to benefit.”