Statin treatment reduces risk of cardiovascular disease in women
University of Sydney, Science
Daily
A large international study, published in The Lancet,
has shown conclusively that statin treatment reduces the risk of cardiovascular
disease in women.
Whether statin therapy is as effective in women as in men is
debated, especially for primary prevention. This study compared the effects of
statin therapy between men and women.
The research confirms that statins are beneficial not only to
women who have already had a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or
stroke, but also in those who -- whilst they have not yet developed
cardiovascular disease -- are at an increased risk of such diseases.
"It has long been known that, by reducing low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, statin medications prevent heart attacks and
strokes in people at risk of these diseases.
"However women tend to develop cardiovascular disease later
in life than do men, so have been under-represented in most statin trials. As a
result, the benefits of statin therapy in women have been uncertain, especially
in the absence of any previous history of cardiovascular disease.
"This analysis of the effects of statins on 174,000
patients, undertaken by combining results from 27 different trials, shows
beyond any reasonable doubt that women gain the same benefits from statins as
men," he said.
Overall, statin treatment reduced the risk of a major vascular
event (heart attack, stroke, bypass surgery, cardiac death) by 21% for each 1
mmol/L reduction in LDL cholesterol achieved. The percentage risk reductions
were similar in women and men, irrespective of any history of cardiovascular
disease.
Such benefits from statin treatment translated into a
significant reduction (9% risk reduction for each 1 mmol/L reduction in
LDL-cholesterol) in the overall risk of death in both men and women -- a
finding for women which has not been previously reported by any individual
statin trial.
"There has been a recent worldwide shift towards
recommending treatment with statins to people without existing cardiovascular
disease but with a sufficiently high risk of future disease. The results of
this study will reassure doctors that these risk-based guidelines for treatment
can be applied to men and women equally," Professor Keech said.
Co-investigator Dr Jordan Fulcher from University of Sydney said
"Heart attacks and stroke are major problems in women just as they are in
men. In Australia, more than 11,500 women die of these two diseases every year.
"Far too few women realise they are at greater risk of
dying from a heart attack than from breast cancer and this study should
reassure them that, if advised by their doctor, they can reduce that risk by
taking a statin."
Professor Len Kritharides, Chair of the Cardiovascular Health
Advisory Committee of the Heart Foundation of Australia, welcomed these new
results as very important: "They show unequivocally that statins similarly
benefit men and women in preventing heart attacks without evidence of serious
harm. Importantly, the study also demonstrates that treatment with statins
improves overall survival in men and women. These results should give great
encouragement to patients and their doctors that lowering cholesterol with
statins prevents cardiovascular disease."
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by University of Sydney. Note:
Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Anthony Keech et al. Efficacy and safety of LDL-lowering therapy
among men and women: meta-analysis of individual data from 174 000 participants
in 27 randomised trials. The Lancet, January 2015 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61368-4
Cite This Page:
University of Sydney. "Breakthrough: Statin treatment
reduces risk of cardiovascular disease in women." Science Daily,
9 January 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150109093729.htm>.
