Statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs are among the most prescribed medications in the world. Studies have shown that they can reduce the risk of death from heart attacks among people with heart disease. Many people in the U.S. take these drugs even though they have no symptoms and have not been diagnosed with heart disease. Their doctors have prescribed medicines such as Crestor, Lipitor, lovastatin or simvastatin to prevent heart problems.
A recent meta-analysis questions this approach. Investigators in England, Scotland and the Netherlands gathered data from 11 different studies. They included 65,229 volunteers without heart disease, but at high risk for heart problems. On average, these people were followed for almost 4 years after being randomized to take either a statin or an inert placebo pill. Although the statins lowered cholesterol, especially bad LDL cholesterol, people taking statins were not significantly less likely to die during the follow-up. The scientists conclude that the life saving benefits of statins are more modest than previous studies suggested, even for people at high risk. They urge caution in assuming that statins will save lives among people at lower risk of heart disease.
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