Groundbreaking new research suggests some adults could cut their risk of death without taking the common medication.
There was only a thin margin between those on and off statins in a new study (Image: Getty)
Brits taking a common medication may be able to cut their risk of death without the drugs, according to new research. Around 8million UK adults take statins, with 1.5million aged 75 and above.
But French scientists have discovered that older adults who had not previously suffered a stroke or heart attack did not see their risk of death increase within three years of quitting the prescription.
The drugs are commonly used to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol in the blood, helping to prevent fatty plaque build-up in arteries and lowering the risk of strokes and heart attacks. In up to 80% of cases, they are prescribed to prevent an initial cardiovascular attack, rather than prevent another from occurring.
Brits have been urged to check with their doctors before quitting the medication (Image: Getty)
The new study, undertaken by a team at Bordeaux University Hospital, focused on the response of patients with no history of heart disease or strokes to coming off the medication.
Scientists recruited 1,160 adults with an average age of 80 and randomly assigned them to one of two groups, either continuing to take the drug or quitting it, the Daily Mail reports.
The research, which examined the main types of statin found in the UK, including simvastatin, fluvastatin and pravastatin, found little difference between the results of each group.
Three years after the study launched, 7.2% of those who stopped taking statins had died, compared to 7.9% of those who continued to take them.
Around 5% of patients who quit the drugs had a “major cardiovascular event” in that time period, compared to 4.4% of those who remained on them.
Despite the thin margin, researchers did spot a 50% rise in “bad cholesterol” in those who stopped the treatment.
But they concluded in a paper published in The Lancet Health Longevity Journal that quitting statins was “noninferior to continuing” them, suggesting there is little benefit to be gained.
Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, said the research provided “good insights” but was limited in its scope.
“The findings should not be interpreted as evidence that statins are no longer beneficial,” he said. “On the contrary, for the many millions of patients taking statins in the UK, they are on life-saving medications.
“It is important to note that these findings are not relevant to many millions with a history of heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular conditions that put them at high risk.
“Any decisions about changing or stopping statins should only be taken together with your doctor.”