You are here

Article Text

Article menu

Download PDFPDF

Therapeutics
Simvastatin reduced mortality and vascular events
Free

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebm.8.1.10

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    (2002) Lancet 360, 7; MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of cholesterol lowering with simvastatin in 20 536 high-risk individuals: a randomised placebo-controlled trial.. ;. :. –22..
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science

    
 
 QUESTION: In patients with a high 5 year risk of death, does simvastatin reduce mortality and vascular events?

    Design

    Randomised (allocation concealed*), blinded (participants, clinicians, data collectors, and outcome assessors),* placebo controlled trial with mean follow up of 5 years.

    Setting

    69 UK hospitals.

    Patients

    20 536 patients who were 40–80 years of age (28% were ≥70 y of age, 75% men); had nonfasting total cholesterol levels ≥3.5 mmol/l; and had a substantial 5 year risk of death because of a history of coronary heart disease (CHD), occlusive disease of noncoronary arteries, or diabetes mellitus or a history of treated hypertension (in men ≥65 y of age). Exclusion criteria included a clear indication for statin therapy according to the patient‘s doctor; abnormal liver or renal function; muscle problems; concurrent treatment with cyclosporin, fibrates, or high dose niacin; potential for pregnancy; and serious medical conditions. Follow up was 99.7%.

    Intervention

    Run in treatment consisted of 4 weeks of placebo and 4–6 weeks of simvastatin, …

    View Full Text