Statin lowers risk of recurrent vascular events. (In High-Risk Patients).

Publication: Internal Medicine News

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COPYRIGHT 2003 International Medical News Group

Betsy Bates

SAN DIEGO -- High-risk patients who have a first-time major vascular event while on a cholesterol-lowering statin drug reduce their risk of subsequent events by nearly 50% if they remain on statin therapy, according to follow-up data from the landmark Heart Protection Study.

Original analysis of data from the British study focused on the prevention of first major vascular events, showing that 5 years of therapy would save 70-100 people per 1,000 from such a diagnosis.

Now, with the knowledge that later events can be prevented with continued therapy, Dr. Rory Collins and his associates have revised their estimate, suggesting that 100-150 major vascular events per 1,000 high-risk patients can be prevented for every 5 years of statin therapy

Even with the new information, "these 5-year trials substantially underestimate...

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