How Common is Statin Use in the Oldest Old?

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiovascular Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Evidence on statin efficacy in individuals aged 80 and above is scarce, leading to controversy regarding their use in this demographic.
• Statin medications are widely prescribed for cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the global prevalence of statin use among the oldest old (≥80 years).
• To understand the scope of statin prescription in this population and identify trends.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed and grey literature published within the last five years.
• Studies reporting statin prevalence in adults aged 80 years and older were included.
• Data screening and extraction were performed by the first author, yielding 14 eligible articles.

Main Results:

• Statin prevalence varied: 17-39% in nursing homes, 12-59% in community settings, and 18-45% in combined populations.
• Statin use decreased with advancing age beyond 80 years.
• Use was higher for secondary prevention than primary prevention.
• Prevalence has increased over recent decades, more significantly in the oldest old compared to younger elderly individuals.

Conclusions:

• Statins are frequently prescribed to the oldest old, a population with limited supporting efficacy data.
• The increasing trend in statin use necessitates urgent clinical research to establish efficacy and inform clinical practice and shared decision-making.