Intensive Versus Moderate Statin Therapy

Intensive lipid lowering with high-dose statin therapy provides a significant benefit over standard-dose therapy for preventing predominantly non-fatal cardiovascular events. Debate exists regarding the merit of more intensive lipid lowering with high-dose statin therapy as compared with standard-dose therapy.

So this study was done to conduct a meta-analysis that compares the reduction of cardiovascular outcomes with high-dose statin therapy versus standard dosing.

The PubMed was searched for randomized controlled trials of intensive versus standard-dose statin therapy enrolling more than 1,000 patients with either stable coronary heart disease or acute coronary syndromes. Four trials were identified: the TNT (Treating to New Targets) and the IDEAL (Incremental Decrease in End Points Through Aggressive Lipid-Lowering) trials involved patients with stable cardiovascular disease, and the PROVE IT–TIMI-22 (Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy–Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction-22) and A-to-Z (Aggrastat-to-Zocor) trials involved patients with acute coronary syndromes. We carried out a meta-analysis of the relative odds on the basis of a fixed-effects model using the Mantel-Haenszel method for the major outcomes of death and cardiovascular events.

A total of 27,548 patients were enrolled in the 4 large trials. The combined analysis yielded a significant 16% odds reduction in coronary death or myocardial infarction (p < 0.00001), as well as a significant 16% odds reduction of coronary death or any cardiovascular event (p < 0.00001). No difference was observed in total or non-cardiovascular mortality, but a trend toward decreased cardiovascular mortality (odds reduction 12%, p = 0.054) was observed.

From the results it was conculed that intensive lipid lowering with high-dose statin therapy provides a significant benefit over standard-dose therapy for preventing predominantly non-fatal cardiovascular events.

J Am Coll Cardiol, 2006; 48:438-445, doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2006.04.070 (Published online 11 July 2006).

================================

Start your own walking program
New StepTracker Available at special prices. See the results of the Step Program Study.
https://www.diabetesincontrol.com/programs/steps/index.shtml
Purchase your own pedometers and receive the Steps to Health Program at no charge. https://www.rx4betterhealth.com/steptracker/
The Only Pedometer on the Market That Comes With a Program for Success!

================================

DID YOU KNOW:
Key Fat and Cholesterol Cell Regulator Identified, Promising Target: Researchers have identified how a molecular switch regulates fat and cholesterol production, a step that may help advance treatments for metabolic syndrome, the constellation of diseases that includes high cholesterol, obesity, type II diabetes, and high blood pressure. Read and print the full news article.
https://www.diabetesincontrol.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4015