title: A Reappraisal of the Safety and Cost-Effectiveness of Statin Therapy in Primary Prevention.
abstract: Statins are among the most investigated drugs of all time. There is now a wealth of evidence supporting their use in the primary and secondary prevention arenas. The reduction in event recurrence has since been demonstrated across all levels of risk and in elderly patients. As a result, it is now accepted practice for statins to be prescribed universally in secondary prevention unless contraindicated. The extension of this policy into the primary prevention setting is more problematic, with moral and financial issues arising from the long-term treatment of many young apparently healthy individuals. For these reasons it is necessary to prove not only the financial sustainability of such a strategy but also the long-term safety of statins and the degree of benefit that might be expected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom. Electronic address: c.bleakley@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bleakley
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pumb
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harbinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Gary Eugene
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: McVeigh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000191:economics; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors