Atorvastatin Cuts Major CV Events 30% in Adults 70+ as STAREE Misses Disability-Free Survival
Updated
Updated · Medscape · Aug 29
Atorvastatin Cuts Major CV Events 30% in Adults 70+ as STAREE Misses Disability-Free Survival
3 articles · Updated · Medscape · Aug 29
Summary
STAREE randomized 9,971 independently living adults aged 70 or older and found atorvastatin cut major cardiovascular events by 30% over a median 5.9 years, with 297 events versus 412 on placebo.
The benefit was driven mainly by nonfatal outcomes: myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization each fell sharply, while stroke reduction was not statistically significant and cardiovascular mortality was unchanged.
Disability-free survival did not improve despite fewer CV events, with death, dementia or persistent physical disability occurring in 637 atorvastatin patients versus 676 on placebo; investigators noted 80% of deaths were noncardiovascular.
Serious adverse events were identical at 2.7% in both groups, although musculoskeletal, hepatobiliary and diabetes-related events were more common with atorvastatin; adherence fell to 55.6% by year 5.
The trial fills a long-standing evidence gap in primary prevention for older adults, but investigators and discussants said the results support individualized statin use rather than automatic treatment for everyone over 70.