title: Family history of cardiovascular disease and influence on statin therapy persistence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Persistence to statins is low, presumably due to lack of perception of risk. Having a close relative suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD) might increase persistence to statins. We investigated whether family history of CVD influences the discontinuation of statin treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based cohort study was performed. Swedish registers on dispensed drugs, hospitalization and cause of death were linked to the Multi-generation Register. Incident statin users 20-72 years of age were identified between 2006 and 2007 and followed until 30 June 2009. Family history of CVD was defined as the presence of relatives with a previous cardiovascular event. Cox regression was used to study discontinuation and estimate the effect of the family history of CVD, adjusting for gender, age, education, income, healthcare provider, prevention's type, birth's country and residence's county. Stratified analysis by type and severity of cardiovascular event was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 86,002 patients were enrolled; 61.5 % had a family history of CVD. Discontinuation of statin therapy was not associated with family history of CVD (HR: 0.98; 95 % CI:0.96-1.01), except for patients with a family history of death from myocardial infarction (MI) (HR: 0.95 95 % CI:0.92-0.98). Young age, foreign background, low income, and statin for primary prevention and for secondary prevention when prescribed by a general practitioner were associated with higher risk of statin discontinuation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Having relatives suffering from CVD did not consistently influence the persistence to statin treatment. A family history of death from MI had a slight significant positive effect on statin persistence, though not clinically relevant.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology Karolinska Institutet T2, Karolinska University Hospital, SE 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden, anna.citarella@ki.se.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Citarella
authors.forename: Helle
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kieler
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sundström
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linder
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wettermark
authors.forename: Ingegärd Anveden
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Berglind
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors