Statins are medications designed to lower cholesterol to decrease your risk of cardiovascular issues, such as heart attacks. Recent research shows that people 75 and older who go off statins have an increased risk of hospitalization because of cardiovascular problems. Dr.
“So everyone over 75 is at high risk.” On the other hand, older patients are more likely to be on multiple medications that can interact with statins. And there's some evidence that this age group may be more prone to statin side effects, such as muscle pain, an increased risk of diabetes, and liver problems.
Do not start a statin in patients ages ≥ 75 years who do not have known vascular disease or type 2 diabetes; start or continue a statin in all patients ages 75 to 84 with type 2 diabetes to prevent cardiovascular events and mortality; and start or continue a statin in patients ages > 75 years who have known vascular ...
For example, simvastatin 40 mg daily decreases the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, or revascularization by about one-third and the risk of peripheral vascular events by about one-quarter [27]. In patients with diagnosed PAD, there was observed a significant decrease in vascular events, of about 22% [27].
The 2018 AHA/ACC Cholesterol Guidelines fall in between, recommending that it is reasonable to consider initiating a moderate intensity statin for those over 75 years of age with a low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) of 70–189 mg/dL, because evidence to date, although of limited quality, points towards benefit ...
In a large population cohort study of patients aged 65 and older, investigators found that discontinuing statins, even while maintaining antihypertensives, antidiabetics, and antiplatelet medications, was associated with an increased risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular outcomes, cardiovascular hospital ...
However, statins can cause side effects in older adults including gait disturbances, which can lead to falls; increased blood glucose levels and incidence of diabetes mellitus; development of cataracts; liver toxicity; and muscle complications such as rhabdomyolysis, which is a potentially life-threatening condition.
Regardless of age, those who have suffered a heart attack or stroke will benefit from taking a statin.
The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association developed some prescription guidelines. Typically, if a person's LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) is 190 or higher, they're often advised to start a statin.
Statin drugs have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young and middle-aged adults. With older adults (those 75 and over), the benefits are less clear. But a recent study published in the European Heart Journal suggests that there is in fact a benefit to statin use in this older population.
The current recommendation is that you should be offered statins if: there's at least a 1 in 10 chance of you developing CVD at some point in the next 10 years. lifestyle measures, such as exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, haven't reduced this risk.
Statins are medications designed to lower cholesterol to decrease your risk of cardiovascular issues, such as heart attacks. Recent research shows that people 75 and older who go off statins have an increased risk of hospitalization because of cardiovascular problems.
Currently, more than 60 percent of older people in the United States who, like me, have high cholesterol take a statin to help prevent a heart attack or stroke.
Ezetimibe is a tablet that lowers cholesterol. It may be prescribed if statins cannot be taken, or alongside a statin for extra cholesterol-lowering. It's a 'cholesterol absorption inhibitor' that limits the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine.
While statins are highly effective and safe for most people, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people. Rarely, they may cause liver damage. If you think you're experiencing side effects from taking statins, don't just stop taking the pills.
The study also showed that all patients who refused statin therapy developed higher LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, likely increasing their risk even further. The results are published in JAMA Network Open.
We have data now from over 20 statin trials of over 135,000 patients that show statins compared with placebo or no medication result in a 23 percent reduction in heart attacks, 17 percent reduction in fatal or non-fatal stroke and 19 percent reduction in death from cardiovascular causes. So, they definitely work.
No, statins do not increase dementia risk. They may even protect against it. Statins are among the most frequently prescribed medications. Some people taking statins report side effects, including memory loss.
Rhabdomyolysis is the most serious adverse effect from statin use, though it occurs quite rarely (less than 0.1%). The most common risk factors for statin-related myopathy include hypothyroidism, polypharmacy and alcohol abuse.
Because many factors are involved, your cholesterol numbers may be considered normal and yet you may still be found to be at an elevated risk for heart problems. As a result, statin medications are now used to lower the risk of heart disease and heart events in most anyone found to be at high risk.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
If your risk is very low, you probably won't need a statin, unless your LDL is above 190 mg/dL (4.92 mmol/L). If your risk is very high — for example, you've had a heart attack in the past — a statin may be helpful even if you don't have high cholesterol.
Joseph A. Hill, M.D., Ph. D. The controversy in the United Kingdom started in 2013 when the British Medical Journal (BMJ) claimed statins were being overprescribed to people with low risk of heart disease, and that the drugs' side effects were worse than previously thought.
So current medical guidelines recommend statins for people in that no-heart-disease category, a strategy called primary prevention — but only for those up to age 75. Yet almost half of adults aged 75 and older take statins, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported.