Statins are effective in lowering “bad” cholesterol and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, making them a recommended treatment for adults between the ages of 40 and 75 who have heart disease risk factors. However, fewer older adults, especially those over 70, use statins despite being at a higher risk for heart disease. Researchers from the University of Oxford conducted a study to examine the value of statin therapy for older adults and found that it was cost-effective and correlated with better health outcomes in this population.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends adults between the ages of 40 and 75 with cardiovascular risk factors to take statins to prevent heart issues. But the benefits of statins for older adults over the age of 70 have been less clear due to limited evidence from randomized trials focusing on this age group. The study by Dr. Borislava Mihaylova and her team used data from the U.K. Biobank and Whitehall II study to estimate the impact of statin therapy on heart disease risk, survival rate, quality-adjusted life years, and healthcare costs in older adults with or without previous cardiovascular disease.
The researchers found that standard statin therapy resulted in a 35-45% reduction in LDL cholesterol, while higher-intensity treatment lowered LDL cholesterol by 45% or more. Participants who stayed on statin therapy for their lifetime saw an increase in quality-adjusted life years, indicating a positive impact on their health outcomes. The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that statin treatment was cost-effective for older adults, with the cost per quality-adjusted life years gained falling below certain threshold values.
According to Dr. Mihaylova, the study’s findings suggest that more people over the age of 70 should be considered for statin treatment due to the significant health benefits and cost-effectiveness of such therapy. Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, a board-certified cardiologist and lipidologist, also noted the importance of continued statin therapy for older adults with cardiovascular disease to maintain the benefits and reduce the risk of recurrent events. Despite concerns about taking multiple medications as people age, the study emphasizes the importance of continuing statin therapy into older years for those who have existing heart disease.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of considering statin therapy for older adults to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, improve quality of life, and enhance health outcomes. Continued use of statins into older age can provide significant benefits for individuals with existing cardiovascular issues and help prevent future events. The findings support the use of statins in older populations, emphasizing the need to address the underutilization of this medication in older adults to optimize preventive care and improve health outcomes.
