Lipid-lowering therapy and outcomes in heart failure.
Lipid-lowering therapy, particularly with statins, reduces the risk of cardiovascular mortality; however, there is uncertainty about their efficacy in patients with heart failure, including those without coronary artery stenosis. A clinical database was studied to determine whether lipid-lowering therapy is associated with improved survival in persons with heart failure-with or without concomitant coronary artery stenosis. During an 8-year period, 6060 people with a history of heart failure underwent coronary angiography. At the time of angiography, 1216 received a lipid-lowering agent. During a median follow-up of 4.7 years, 7.1 deaths per 100 person-years occurred among users of lipid-lowering therapy, compared with 7.8 per 100 person-years among nonusers (adjusted hazard ratio 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.77-0.97). Use of lipid-lowering therapy was associated with a reduced risk of death in patients with heart failure. Current evidence supports statin use in individuals with recognized heart failure and concomitant coronary heart disease, dyslipidemia, or diabetes mellitus. More data are needed before statins can be recommended in those with isolated heart failure.
Ray
Joel G
JG
Department of Medicine, Divisions of General Internal Medicine and Endocrinology and Metabolism, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. rayj@smh.toronto.on.ca
Norris
Colleen M
CM
Udell
Jacob A
JA
Tsuyuki
Ross T
RT
McAlister
Finlay A
FA
Knudtson
Merril L
ML
Ghali
William A
WA
D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects
D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents