Atorvastatin cuts heart attack risk in seniors but shows no survival benefit

In a large randomized trial presented to the European Society of Cardiology, atorvastatin 40 mg daily reduced major cardiovascular events by roughly 30% among participants aged 70 and older who had no history of heart disease, diabetes or dementia. The study enrolled 9,971 individuals, averaging 74.7 years of age and comprising 52% women, and followed them for a median of 5.9 years. Primary outcomes included cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke and coronary revascularisation, while a secondary measure tracked survival free of dementia and physical disability.

Although the drug lowered the risk of heart attacks and strokes, it did not significantly affect overall mortality, dementia incidence, or persistent disability compared with placebo. Adverse events related to muscle, liver and glucose metabolism occurred more often in the atorvastatin group, yet serious complications were uncommon and occurred at the same rate (2.7%) in both arms. Researchers suggest the findings could inform future guidelines for statin use in older populations.