What do the statin trials tell us?

The results of 5 major placebo-controlled trials evaluating the effects of statins in approximately 31,000 individuals with and without known coronary disease have demonstrated the following: statins reduce the incidence of coronary events, the reduction in relative risk for coronary events increases with the duration of therapy, the reduction in coronary events is proportional to the reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, and lower LDL-C levels are associated with lower event rates. The studies have also shown that statins are safe and effective in reducing the incidence of coronary events in women, individuals with diabetes, and patients older than 65 years of age and in reducing the risk of stroke and transient ischemic attacks in patients with coronary disease. Finally, studies indicate that statins ameliorate a variety of pathophysiologic processes that are associated with increased risk for atherosclerosis.