Statins fail to lower LDL in half of patients
Doctor-related factors may be behind the poor showing: study
26th April 2019
By Kemal Atlay
More than half of patients on statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease may fail to achieve an optimal reduction in cholesterol within two years, research suggests.
In a UK prospective cohort study, University of Nottingham researchers analysed data from 165,000 patients in primary care, providing a ‘real world’ picture of optimal response to statins, which they defined as a 40% or more reduction in LDL cholesterol within 24 months of starting the drug.
All patients (mean age 62) were free of CVD prior to statin therapy.
The study