Healthy living
Medicines and supplements
Doubts raised on cholesterol-busting drugs
Scientists examine whether statins can help prevent heart problems
The doctors from Harvard Medical School compared data from eight major studies that had considered whether statins prevent the onset of heart disease in people with no previous heart problems - so-called primary prevention.
They conclude, according to a report published in The Lancet, that statins offer no protection for women with no history of heart problems. They also say they found no evidence that the drugs will benefit men over 69 who have not already had a heart attack.
While their report accepts that statins have been proved to reduce deaths from heart disease in people aged between 30 and 80 who already have established heart problems, it suggests that the same is not true for people with no previous heart problems. Based on these conclusions, they recommend that statins should not be prescribed for true primary prevention in women of any age, or for men older than 69.
The findings are controversial because UK guidelines recommend that doctors prescribe statins to anyone diagnosed with a 20 per cent risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years. These guidelines are based on the assumption that, because statins help people who have heart disease, they will also benefit those who are at risk of having a heart attack.
Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, says: "The benefits of statins in reducing blood cholesterol and preventing heart attacks in patients known to have artery disease are beyond doubt. However, there is an ongoing debate about which patients who do not yet have the disease should also receive statins."
He does, however, recommend that anyone currently prescribed statins should keep taking them.
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Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
