Atorvastatin is a type of statin used to lower cholesterol in the blood and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes
11:25, 08 Oct 2026Updated 11:26, 08 Oct 2026
Cholesterol-lowering medication reduces major cardiovascular events by 30 per cent in older people, new research showed(Image: Getty Images)
A key update has been issued to anyone taking Atorvastatin following the publication of new research. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) was presented with findings showing that Atorvastatin reduced major cardiovascular events by 30% in older people without known cardiovascular disease, diabetes or dementia, but did not significantly improve disability-free survival.
Statins are routinely prescribed to manage high cholesterol in people up to 75 years of age due to their well-established benefits in reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. However, until now, the risk-benefit of statins in preventing cardiovascular events in older adults without known cardiovascular disease, diabetes or dementia remained uncertain, owing to their underrepresentation in major statin trials.
More than 250,000 people in Ireland are prescribed and take statins to lower their cholesterol and manage cardiovascular risk. In Ireland around 65% of people taking statins use them as a preventative measure rather than because they already have a diagnosed heart condition.
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The most widely prescribed statins include atorvastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and fluvastatin. Lead Researcher, Professor Sophia Zoungas, from the Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Australia said: “An estimated 21,000 older Australians suffer from major cardiovascular events, like heart attack and stroke, each year,”
“The trial is the first large randomised controlled trial to examine whether statins can be used for primary prevention in older patients to help them live longer in good health.”
The trial examined individuals aged 70 years and over with no prior history of clinical cardiovascular disease, diabetes or dementia. In total, 9,971 participants were randomised (1:1) to oral atorvastatin 40 mg daily or placebo.
The study population had a mean age of 74.7 years and 52% were women.
The two principal outcomes assessed were major cardiovascular events, defined as cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke or coronary revascularisation, and disability-free survival, defined as survival free of dementia and physical disability.
Over a median follow-up of 5.9 years, the researchers found that the risk of major cardiovascular events was reduced by 30% in the atorvastatin group compared with the placebo group. Nevertheless, the risk of death, dementia or persistent physical disability did not substantially differ between the two groups.
The ESC was informed: “Muscle, liver and diabetes-related adverse events were more frequent in the atorvastatin group; however, all serious adverse events were uncommon, occurring in 2.7% of participants in both the atorvastatin and placebo groups.”
Professor Zoungas commented: “With the world’s population ageing at an unprecedented rate, answering fundamental questions about healthy longevity has become a universal imperative. The risk of heart attack and stroke is a concern for older people and knowing there is an effective measure for lowering that risk will be a huge reassurance to older people and their families. We hope to see updated guidelines to help clinicians make use of these new findings.”