Study in Lancet established that Anti-Cholesterol Drugs are Safe Even After Years of Use

A study titled Effects of 11-year mortality and morbidity of lowering LDL cholesterol with simvastatin for about five years in 20,536 high-risk individuals: a randomised control trial was published in the medical journal Lancet on 23 November 2011. The study was funded by funded by the UK Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation, Merck and Co and Roche Vitamins.

Long-term follow-up in the 20 000-patient Heart Protection Study (HPS) found no evidence that statins increased the risk of non-vascular mortality or made patients more likely to develop cancer.

The Findings

According to the study, a patient on a regimen of cholesterol lowering drugs (statins) has to continue it for life. It was established that statin effects can continue even after the drugs are stopped and there were no evidence of any long-term hazards.

High levels of cholesterol, specially LDL or bad cholestero is a known risk for cardiovascular diseases. Statins are a drug of choice for all patients with a history of heart attack, paralytic attack, brain stroke and patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking habits and a family history of cardiovascular diseases. Statins, widely believed to be among the most used drugs in the world, have been criticised for long for side effects such as joint pain, gastrointestinal problems and nausea.

According to the study, even after treatment stopped benefits persisted for at least five years without any evidence of emerging hazards. These findings provide further support for the prompt initiation and continuation of statin treatment.

The study showed that the effects of the drugs are not as transient as it was normally thought. If a patient is unwilling to continue the drug after the LDL cholesterol levels have stabilised, it can be stopped.

The finding of the study that followed patients for 11 years provides reassurance for people at risk of heart attacks who are typically prescribed such medicines indefinitely.

The study found a 23% reduction in heart attack, stroke and vascular disease after five years in those on treatment - and the benefit persisted largely unchanged for a further six years for patients who stopped the statin use.

Other popular statin medicines include Pfizer's top-selling Lipitor and AstraZeneca's Crestor.

Key words- current affairs November 2011, anti-cholestrol drugs, stroke and vascular disease, cholesterol lowering drugs, medical journals, Heart Protection Study, UK Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation