China: Real-world evidence from a target trial emulation study has shed light on the promising role of statins in the primary prevention of Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and all-cause mortality in old (aged 75 to 84 years) and very old (aged ≥85 years) adults.
The study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded the reduction of CVD after statin therapy in patients aged 75 years or older without any evident adverse effects. Additionally, statin therapy was found to be beneficial and safe in adults aged 85 years or older.

Statins are considered potent medication for the prevention of cardiovascular events in patients who already have coronary heart disease and with little information available regarding the use of statins in older age individuals, scientists stride up to research to investigate the benefits and risks associated with the use of statins in primary prevention of (CVDs) in old (aged 75 to 84 years) and very old adults (aged ≥85 years).
With this aim, Wanchun Xu, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, and colleagues enrolled individuals aged 75 years or older who exhibited signs of initiating statin therapy from January 2008 to December 2015. Also, individuals with preexisting diagnosed CVDs at baseline, like coronary heart disease (CHD), were excluded from the study.
Within 69981 eligible participants aged 75 to 84 years and 14555 participants aged 85 years or older, 41884 and 9457 had a history of CHD equivalents (for instance, diabetes) in the respective age groups.
Research indicated the following findings:
• Out of 42680 matched person-trials aged 75 to 84 years and 5390 matched person-trials aged 85 years or older, 9676 and 1600 of them developed CVDs in each age group.
• A decrease in overall CVD incidence risk reduction was observed for initiating statin therapy in adults aged 75 to 84 years (5-year standardized risk reduction, 1.20%), (intention-to-treat [ITT] analysis 5.00%) and in those aged 85 years or older (ITT: 4.44%)
• No risks of myopathies and liver dysfunction were observed.
The researcher concluded, “There might be limitations associated because of confounding factors such as diet and physical activity that could interfere with study results.”
Reference
Xu W, Lee AL, Lam CLK, Danaei G, Wan EYF. Benefits and Risks Associated With Statin Therapy for Primary Prevention in Old and Very Old Adults : Real-World Evidence From a Target Trial Emulation Study. Ann Intern Med. 2024 Jun;177(6):701-710. doi: 10.7326/M24-0004.