Atorvastatin, Cardiovascular Events, and Disability-free Survival in Older Adults.
Sophia Zoungas, Rory Wolfe, Chris Moran et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of atorvastatin on cardiovascular events and disability-free survival in 9971 community-dwelling adults aged 70 and older without prior cardiovascular disease. After a median follow-up of 5.9 years, atorvastatin significantly reduced major cardiovascular events (10.9 vs 15.5 events per 1000 person-years; hazard ratio, 0.70; P<0.001) but did not improve disability-free survival.
Key findings
- Atorvastatin reduced major cardiovascular events to 10.9 per 1000 person-years compared to 15.5 in the placebo group.
- The hazard ratio for major cardiovascular events was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.61 to 0.82; P<0.001).
- No significant difference in disability-free survival was observed (hazard ratio, 0.94; P=0.25).
- Serious adverse events were similar between atorvastatin (2.7%) and placebo (2.7%) groups.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that atorvastatin can effectively reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events in older adults, which is crucial for managing cardiovascular health in this population. However, the lack of impact on disability-free survival highlights the need for comprehensive care strategies.