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Primary and secondary prevention of heart failure with statins

Jacob A Udell1, Joel G Ray

  • 1University of British Columbia, Department of Medicine, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 1M9, Canada. jayudell@interchange.ubc.ca

Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy
|December 19, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Statins may prevent new heart failure (HF) or related hospitalizations in high-risk patients. For those with existing HF, statins are associated with reduced mortality, suggesting their consideration in at-risk individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a primary cause of heart failure (HF).
  • Statins are established for CHD prevention.
  • Evidence suggests statins' potential role in HF management and prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of statins in preventing new-onset heart failure (HF) and reducing mortality in patients with established HF.
  • To synthesize evidence from randomized clinical trials and cohort studies.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary analyses of 11 randomized clinical trials involving patients with high-risk coronary heart disease (CHD) but without HF.
  • Review of cohort studies examining statin use in patients with established HF.

Main Results:

  • Statins may prevent new-onset HF or HF-related hospitalizations in patients with high-risk CHD.
  • Cohort studies indicate statins reduce all-cause mortality by approximately 35% in individuals with established HF.

Conclusions:

  • Statins show promise in preventing new HF and reducing mortality in HF patients.
  • Consider statins for patients with cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, or diabetes, especially those at risk for or with existing HF.

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