Statins: A Vital Consideration for Those Over 70, Study Suggests

[Social Media]

 

A recent study has brought to light the potential benefits of statin therapy for individuals over 70, advocating its consideration as a cost-effective treatment that could enhance health outcomes in this age group. Researchers emphasize that statins, widely recognized for reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering "bad" cholesterol, should not be overlooked by older adults, a demographic in which they are less commonly prescribed.

 

Heart disease and stroke remain leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and the risk of these conditions increases with age. Statins, which reduce levels of low-density lipoproteins in the blood, have been proven to mitigate this risk, yet their use among those over 70 has been less frequent compared to middle-aged patients. The study, conducted by Oxford Population Health, underscores the importance of expanding access to statins for older adults.

 

Borislava Mihaylova, an associate professor at Oxford Population Health and the lead author of the study, highlighted the issue: “Many people around the world are suffering from preventable heart disease and stroke due to insufficient access to effective low-cost treatments such as statins.” She added that improving access to statins for older adults could enhance their health significantly and be cost-effective.

 

The study, published in the journal *Heart*, evaluated the health benefits of statins for older individuals in the UK. It found that statins were not only cost-effective but also linked to better health outcomes for those over 70, regardless of whether they had a history of cardiovascular disease. By analyzing data from large-scale UK statin trials, the researchers predicted the impact of statin therapy on the likelihood of developing heart disease, health-related quality of life, and healthcare costs over a patient's lifetime.

 

Their analysis, which included over 20,000 older people with and without a history of cardiovascular disease, revealed that taking statins could significantly increase quality-adjusted life years, a measure used by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) to determine the value of treatments. Statin therapy, particularly at higher intensity doses, proved to be well below the Nice threshold for cost-effectiveness, with standard statins costing less than £3,500 per quality-adjusted life year gained and higher-intensity therapy costing below £12,000.

 

However, the study's authors cautioned that as an observational study, it could not establish a definitive cause and effect. Nonetheless, the findings have sparked interest among medical professionals. Prof Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, remarked: “It’s encouraging to see further evidence that the use of statins is safe and effective for patients over 70, and it is important this evidence is taken on board as clinical guidelines are updated.” She noted that while statins may not be suitable for everyone, GPs would prescribe them where appropriate, alongside advising older patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle through diet, exercise, and smoking cessation.

 

Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, the associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, commented on the significance of the study, stating, “Statins have transformed the prevention of future heart attacks and strokes.” She emphasized the potential benefits for older individuals, particularly given the UK's aging population, suggesting that there could be "lifetime benefits for the over-70s."

 

Dr. Mashkur Khan, president of the geriatrics and gerontology section of the Royal Society of Medicine, added that “Cardiovascular risk in the frail elderly can be significantly reduced with the newer statins, which also have a positive effect on cognitive abilities and the prevention of dementia.” He advocated for the early introduction of statins, noting their anti-inflammatory effects on blood vessels and their role in preventing strokes and heart attacks, even in those with normal cholesterol levels, while also helping to prevent diabetes complications.

 

Credit: The Guardian 2024-09-12

 

 

 

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[harryviking]

Stay away from Statins! They are dangerous. The whole cholesterol madness is as wrong as it can be! Still an over 50 year old lie is being used by doctors to get people on Statins, A medication that will kill you before anything else does! It also brings billions of dollars to the producers! 

[placeholder]

Just now, harryviking said:

Stay away from Statins! They are dangerous. The whole cholesterol madness is as wrong as it can be! Still an over 50 year old lie is being used by doctors to get people on Statins, A medication that will kill you before anything else does! It also brings billions of dollars to the producers! 

I don't know about that. But it has been decisively show that the best way to keep cholesterol down is to avoid eating foods that cause inflammation. Like sugar. That and mild exercise like walking.

[gargamon]

8 minutes ago, harryviking said:

Stay away from Statins! They are dangerous. The whole cholesterol madness is as wrong as it can be! Still an over 50 year old lie is being used by doctors to get people on Statins, A medication that will kill you before anything else does! It also brings billions of dollars to the producers! 

What, no YouTube video to support your claims?

[placeholder]

Here is a rather more balanced assay of the pros and cons of statin therapy:

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/MediaLibraries/URMCMedia/medicine/geriatrics/images/GER-E-NEWS-Statins-July-2018.pdf

[Kwaibill]

My “home” GP started me on Lipitor years ago, and succeeding docs continued the regimen. My Thai docs like it, too, even though my lipid panels are pretty fair due to regular ( if not really enough) exercise and better (largely Thai plus daily oatmeal brekkie) diet. 
Thirty years diabetic, three strokes, and at least four heart attacks later I feel pretty good at 70. My darling Thai wife and daughter help lots with the program.

[JCauto]

1 hour ago, harryviking said:

Stay away from Statins! They are dangerous. The whole cholesterol madness is as wrong as it can be! Still an over 50 year old lie is being used by doctors to get people on Statins, A medication that will kill you before anything else does! It also brings billions of dollars to the producers! 

 

Another armchair expert! Tell us your qualifications first, if you wouldn't mind. Oh, and some accepted medical literature or a study that has been peer reviewed that supports your fear-mongering about statins. I've been taking them for decades, what horrible fate awaits me?

[Red Forever]

1 hour ago, JCauto said:

 

Another armchair expert! Tell us your qualifications first, if you wouldn't mind. Oh, and some accepted medical literature or a study that has been peer reviewed that supports your fear-mongering about statins. I've been taking them for decades, what horrible fate awaits me?

An increased risk of kidney failure.

[thailand49]

Cholestrol runs in my family, I first started Lipitol in my late 40's, 250 range. There wasnt a lot of long term study then I was tested regularly for side affects started 5M, years later up to 20, my numbers had drop to 170, moving here cost I started on a generic,  tested never had a problem but upped to 40M. to maintain 170 range, a few years back I noticed a change cramps, muscles hurting it got so bad, I concluded it was coming from the statins so I stopped meantime got a muscle emzeme test it was off the charts I firmly believe if I didnt stop I would be dead today.

 

Still concern Doctors see me here when I did stop my number one point 295, but my good numbers were great my average ratio was below 4,  I talked to a friend cardio Doc back home said regardless of high total no need.

I do work out change my diet a bit for A1C, everytime I visit a doctor here or abroard, my Blood pressure average 115/70 pulse great. I use to weigh 65K, today last three years 52K, last blood test , 225 total, A1C 5.6,  BP, 105/65.

 

For me after a week of stopping the pain in my arms stopped each day I felt better, not only that I noticed morning I started to get a woody I had more juice and pop to my game.

There are So many studies pro/cons do I worry yes but right now it is a gamble I feel good at 72 soon to be 73, although the numbers flex, but still 52K, BP 115/75.

[JCauto]

10 minutes ago, Red Forever said:

An increased risk of kidney failure.

 

"Conclusions

We found a graded, independent association between the intensity of statin use and the risk of hospitalization with AKI, although the absolute magnitude of the excess risk was small."

 

* AKI = Acute Kidney Injury

 

https://bmcnephrol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12882-019-1280-7

 

"Potential harms and benefits both increased in patients with cardiovascular risks ≥ 20%.1 For patients with elevated cardiovascular risk, the benefits of statin initiation therefore clearly outweigh any increased risk of AKI."

 

"A larger, and more recent study by Dormuth et al investigated the use of high and low-dose statins in more than two million people in Canada, Great Britain and the United States. High-dose statin use was defined as ≥ 40 mg simvastatin, ≥ 20 mg atorvastatin or ≥ 10 mg rosuvastatin daily.2 A 34% increase in the relative risk of hospitalisation for AKI within 120 days of initiation of high-dose statins, compared to low-dose statins, was reported in people without chronic kidney disease (CKD). This risk remained elevated for at least two years of treatment, which was the maximum follow-up period for each patient. Interestingly, the rate of hospitalisation for AKI did not increase significantly in patients with existing CKD.

Dormuth et al also calculated a NNH for high-dose statin use. They estimated that 1700 patients without CKD need to receive high-dose statin treatment for 120 days (rather than low-dose statins), for one additional hospital admission due to AKI to occur."

 

https://bpac.org.nz/BPJ/2013/April/statins.aspx

 

So my conclusions based on a quick read are:

1. If you've been prescribed high statin dosages, then you may end up getting some possible kidney issues (AKI) but you would probably experience them within the first 4 months of taking the medication.
2. The increase of likelihood that you'd have one of these issues in the first 120 days is about 1/3 more than patients who typically experience these symptoms, who are along the lines of 1 out of 1,700 people. 

3. If you're taking statins at a high dose because of risk of cardiovascular disease, which is pretty much the reason why you take high dosages of statins, then this is a higher risk than for AKI so you're justified in taking them regardless of the low incidence of AKI that slightly increases as a result.

[mrfill]

3 hours ago, harryviking said:

Stay away from Statins! They are dangerous. The whole cholesterol madness is as wrong as it can be! Still an over 50 year old lie is being used by doctors to get people on Statins, A medication that will kill you before anything else does! It also brings billions of dollars to the producers! 

But if there was a master plan by Dr McNasty, it won't bring in billions of dollars if all the patients are dead.

[candide]

3 hours ago, placeholder said:

I don't know about that. But it has been decisively show that the best way to keep cholesterol down is to avoid eating foods that cause inflammation. Like sugar. That and mild exercise like walking.

Exactly. Healthy food avoiding too much fat and sugar (including fructose), enough omega 3, regular exercise, weight loss if needed. It should work for most people before thinking of taking pills.

[placeholder]

58 minutes ago, candide said:

Exactly. Healthy food avoiding too much fat and sugar (including fructose), enough omega 3, regular exercise, weight loss if needed. It should work for most people before thinking of taking pills.

Studies show that even walking just a few minutes a day helps. And of course, smoking tobacco is heavily implicated. And alcohol consumption most likely.

[Doctor Tom]

Consider them for a few minutes, then reject them.  They are dangerous.  

[save the frogs]

5 hours ago, harryviking said:

Stay away from Statins! They are dangerous. The whole cholesterol madness is as wrong as it can be! Still an over 50 year old lie is being used by doctors to get people on Statins, A medication that will kill you before anything else does! It also brings billions of dollars to the producers! 

my understanding is they can save people's lives in the short term. 

but depending on statins for long-term use while not making lifestyle changes may not save you. 

[placeholder]

Statins are overprescribed for primary prevention, study suggests

The 10 year risk levels at which guidelines recommend initiating statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are too low, a modelling study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests.1

The study found that statins provided net benefits in primary prevention only at a substantially higher 10 year risk of cardiovascular disease than the 7.5%-10.0% cut-offs recommended by guidelines.

The findings support the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) decision in 2014, when it revised its recommendations, not to follow recommendations by the American College of …

https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k5110.full

 

Fewer people may need statins to prevent heart disease, new study suggests

A new way of determining heart disease risk may result in millions fewer people getting prescriptions for statins, according to new research. Heart doctors warned, however, that more information is needed and patients shouldn’t stop taking their medications. ..

 Doctors prescribe the daily pills based on 2013 guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, which estimate risk based on a patient’s age, diabetes, blood pressure and other factors.

For the new study, Dr. Tim Anderson, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues analyzed the potential impact of a new heart disease risk calculator, dubbed PREVENT, that was released by the American Heart Association last year.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heart-health/need-statin-new-study-suggests-prescription-may-not-rcna155908

[save the frogs]

people can try to educate themselves about supplements that enhance heart health with minimal side effects. 

 

but then mixing supplements with meds could be problematic ...

 

for example, aged kyolic garlic capsules may be helpful to prevent heart attacks with no side effects. 

 

[KhunLA]

4 hours ago, Kwaibill said:

My “home” GP started me on Lipitor years ago, and succeeding docs continued the regimen. My Thai docs like it, too, even though my lipid panels are pretty fair due to regular ( if not really enough) exercise and better (largely Thai plus daily oatmeal brekkie) diet. 
Thirty years diabetic, three strokes, and at least four heart attacks later I feel pretty good at 70. My darling Thai wife and daughter help lots with the program.

Yikes ... had a few issues along the way.  Might want to reconsider that oatmeal brekkie.  I used to do a daily; corn flakes, oats, raisins & blueberries bowl of cereal in the morning.  Swapped that out for 2 eggs instead now, and feel much better.   Along with a bunch of other carbs & sugars, so can't say which, if any or all made the difference.   Numbers are good, and I cut the statin out.   

 

One thing for sure, oat suck up the moisture in the digestive system, and as soon as I stopped eating, no constipation afterwards.   Worth cutting out the oat just for that.

 

 

[Jaggg88]

Who funded the study? None of these studies are worth anything unless they declare who funded it plus who funds the people doing the research.

[BritManToo]

If I'm not sick I don't take medication.

[Luuk Chaai]

14 hours ago, JCauto said:

 

Another armchair expert! Tell us your qualifications first, if you wouldn't mind. Oh, and some accepted medical literature or a study that has been peer reviewed that supports your fear-mongering about statins. I've been taking them for decades, what horrible fate awaits me?

you answered part of the equation ...       taking them for decades.,,  ?     helllo,   what does it take to wake you up ?

cholesterol is not your enemy   big pharma is keeping you sick

it's been well established that big pharma and the sugar and grain companies paid for falsification of reports to paint cholesterol/ldl as the bad guy .........   so totaly false !    wake up ..  start eating real human food

[JCauto]

2 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

you answered part of the equation ...       taking them for decades.,,  ?     helllo,   what does it take to wake you up ?

cholesterol is not your enemy   big pharma is keeping you sick

it's been well established that big pharma and the sugar and grain companies paid for falsification of reports to paint cholesterol/ldl as the bad guy .........   so totaly false !    wake up ..  start eating real human food

 

Ah! Big Pharma conspiracist! Thanks for showing up.

 

So, first of all, why am I not dead after taking this awful horrible medication, and why do I feel so great and have no cardiovascular health problems since I've been taking them? Where are these AKI symptoms? Where are my horrible side effects?

I think you're getting a bit confused though, it was fat they were painting as the bad guy instead of sugar. And yes, that was real, not a conspiracy. 

 

And finally, we agree completely that one should eat healthy, fresh food with as much vegetables as possible and switch from red meats. That's just common sense. I'll still indulge once in a while, but I would say my diagnosis did have many beneficial effects - I lost weight, exercised my core and changed up my diet too. With that and the Atorvastatin, it got my bad cholesterol down to normal and all of my other health problems went away. 

 

If you're asking me "would these Big Pharma corporate office undertake shady practices and lie for profit?" I would say "undoubtedly and proven". But the bottom line (ironically) is that these companies ride on the backs of their scientists and researchers, and I definitely trust THOSE people. They're too far removed from the power and profits and are scientists who are doing their jobs. It's only when one gets to the C Suites that the wild and weird stuff happens.

[JCauto]

12 hours ago, BritManToo said:

If I'm not sick I don't take medication.

 

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure!

[JonnyF]

On 9/12/2024 at 3:37 AM, Social Media said:

Heart disease and stroke remain leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and the risk of these conditions increases with age. Statins, which reduce levels of low-density lipoproteins in the blood, have been proven to mitigate this risk, yet their use among those over 70 has been less frequent compared to middle-aged patients. The study, conducted by Oxford Population Health, underscores the importance of expanding access to statins for older adults.

 

This is good news for the over 70's. Especially with a cold winter approaching and many elderly now unable to heat their homes.

 

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/Your-Heart-in-Winter#:~:text=The cold causes blood vessels,arteries constrict in the cold.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

21 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

This is good news for the over 70's. Especially with a cold winter approaching and many elderly now unable to heat their homes.

 

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/Your-Heart-in-Winter#:~:text=The cold causes blood vessels,arteries constrict in the cold.

 

 

You can’t [help or even try to control] yourself can you?!

[Chomper Higgot]

I’ll go with this.

 

Statins, or indeed any medicines, might be appropriate for some people under some circumstances.

 

Get the best professional medical advice you can, always consider a second professional medical opinion, always follow up with periodic reviews and check ups.

 

Don’t self medicate.

 

 

[JonnyF]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You can’t yourself can you?!

 

I can't "what" myself?

 

Just pointing some additional potential benefits of Statin for any of our senior members in the UK. Might be of some help. 

[BritManToo]

20 minutes ago, JCauto said:

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure!

Exercise more, eat less, forget the pills.

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Exercise more, eat less, forget the pills.

 

 

 

I would tend to agree......the only thing that makes me hesitate is the reported (no link) number of doctors very keen on self-medicating with statins????

 

What do they (think) know?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JCauto]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Exercise more, eat less, forget the pills.

 

Exercise more, eat less and better, take appropriate medication that is genuine according to the prescription of your doctor.