Safety and Efficacy of Statins in Elderly


The most efficient and cost-effective therapeutic option to prevent or reduce the incidence of

is the treatment with statins.

Statins act by decreasing the levels of all lipids or cholesterol in our blood.
Advantages or efficacy is clearly visible after at least one year of treatment.

Global Burden of Cardiovascular Disorders

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), ischemic heart disease is the reason for 16% of deaths globally. Totally, 8.9 million people died of ischemic heart disease in 2019 (5✔ ✔Trusted Source
The top 10 causes of death

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).

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One of the major risk factors for these diseases is dyslipidaemia or hyperlipidaemia (excess levels of lipids or cholesterol in the blood), and the prevalence of dyslipidaemia is very high globally.

Commonly Used Statins


  • Atorvastatin

  • Rosuvastatin

  • Fluvastatin

  • Simvastatin

  • Pravastatin

  • Pitavastatin, etc.

Safety of Statins

Common side effects include headache, dizziness, muscle pain, sleep disturbances, digestive issues, feeling tired or weak (6✔ ✔Trusted Source
Overview

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). Uncommon side effects include muscle damage, liver damage, increased risk of type 2 diabetes, sexual problems, memory problems, hair loss, acne etc.

Uncommon side effects usually develop after prolonged treatment with high dose statins. Side effects are much more common in elderly patients, due to their multiple associated comorbidities, hepatic and renal functional decline, and drugs that may interact with statins. However, the benefits overweigh the disadvantages of the treatment with statins and so the treatment with statins should be encouraged.

References :

  1. Treatment with Statins in Elderly Patients – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31671689/)

  2. Pravastatin in elderly individuals at risk of vascular disease (PROSPER): a randomised controlled trial – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12457784/)

  3. MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of cholesterol lowering with simvastatin in 20,536 high-risk individuals: a randomised placebo-controlled trial – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12114036/)

  4. Efficacy and safety of statin therapy in older people: a meta-analysis of individual participant data from 28 randomised controlled trials – (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS01406736(18)31942-1/fulltext)

  5. The top 10 causes of death – (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death#:~:text=The%20top%20global%20causes%20of,birth%20asphyxia%20and%20birth%20trauma%2C)

  6. Overview – (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/statins/)

  7. Study of the effectiveness of additional reductions in cholesterol and homocysteine (SEARCH): characteristics of a randomized trial among 12064 myocardial infarction survivors – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17967584/)

Source: Medindia



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