title: Statin use after acute myocardial infarction: a nationwide study in Denmark.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study outpatient statin use after first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Denmark between 1995 and 2002 and to determine the predictors of statin use.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a nationwide population-based study using administrative registries. Patients with first AMI between 1995 and 2002 older than 30 years of age and alive 6 months after discharge (n = 45 219) were identified through the National Patient Registry. The statins purchased by these patients within 6 months after discharge were determined using the Registry of Medicinal Product Statistics, a nationwide prescription database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statin use following AMI increased from 13% in 1995 to 61% in 2002. In 2002, 81% of patients aged 30-64 years used statins. Older patients used fewer statins, but use increased more among patients aged 75-84 years: from 1.3% to 43%. Use in elderly patients did not differ according to gender in 2000-02, but young men used more than younger women. In 2000-02, patients with diabetes (odds ratio (OR): 0.84; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74-0.95) and with heart failure (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.64-0.76) were undertreated; this trend was present throughout the period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this nationwide study, younger patients after AMI had high statin use in 2002, but high-risk patients such as those with diabetes and heart failure were still being undertreated.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, Denmark. jnr@niph.dk
authors.forename: Jeppe N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Gunnar H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Gislason
authors.forename: Steen Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Abildstrom
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buch
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Friberg
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Køber
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torp-Pedersen
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: Steen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stender
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D019821:Simvastatin; D017035:Pravastatin