Statins for primary prevention in adults aged 75 years and older: A nationwide population-based case-control study

There is inadequate evidence to establish statin treatment for primary prevention in the elderly. This study evaluated whether statins are beneficial for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause death in adults aged ≥ 75 years.

A nationwide, nested case-control study was conducted in Korea. Individuals who developed CVD, including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, or death from all causes, were matched to controls based on duration of follow-up, age, and sex at the index date. The statin administration data from both groups were retrospectively collected from the index date to five years before. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for composite and individual outcomes associated with statin treatment were estimated by conditional logistic regression analyses.

In total, 11,017 cases were matched to 55,085 control subjects. Current use of statins was significantly associated with a reduced risk of composite outcome (adjusted OR [AOR] 0.77; 95% CI 0.71-0.84), compared with non-users. Current use of statin also reduced the risk of stroke (AOR 0.74; 95% CI 0.61-0.89) and of all-cause death (AOR 0.73; 95% CI 0.66-0.81), but not of MI. However, former use of statins had no effect on CVD or all-cause death. There were significant decreasing trends in the incidence of composite outcomes and individual stroke or all-cause death with longer duration of statin treatment.

Current statin treatment has a beneficial effect as primary prevention for composite outcomes and individual event of stroke or all-cause death in Koreans aged ≥75 years.