Government panel backs preventive statin use by adults 40 and over
(Reuters Health) – Aligning with heart health groups and other experts, a U.S. government-backed panel now suggests that adults as young as 40 without a previous heart attack or stroke may need to start on a low or moderate dose of cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Doctors may also consider prescribing the drugs for people in this age group with a 7
People ages 40 to 75 with at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a 10 percent or greater risk of heart attack or stroke over the next decade should take statin drugs, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends.
5 percent to 10 percent risk of heart attack or stroke based on the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology risk calculator (cvriskcalculator).
“In addition to a healthy lifestyle, statins are useful for people at an elevated risk for cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Douglas Owens, of Stanford University in California and a member of the USPSTF.
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease include high total cholesterol or triglycerides – known as dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking.
Heart disease, stroke jswipe free app and other cardiovascular diseases killed almost 787,000 people in the U.S in 2011, according to the American Heart Association.
Cholesterol, a type of fat in the blood, can build up in arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems. Statins lower cholesterol by blocking its production in the liver.
This is the first time the USPSTF is making a recommendation on the use of statins. It’s based on analysis of existing data from 18 randomized controlled trials comparing statin use among people without previous heart attacks and strokes to people taking dummy pills or nothing at all.
Compared to those who are not on treatment, statin use was tied to a 17 percent reduced risk of death from any cause, and a 36 percent reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Read more “Government panel backs preventive statin use by adults 40 and over”