Howard Brody and colleagues get it right about statins

Lancet. 2012 Nov 24;380(9856):1814; author reply 1817-8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)62020-0.

Statins for people at low risk of cardiovascular disease.

Newman DH, Saini V, Brody H, Brownlee S, Hoffman JR, Redberg RF, Roberts BH.

"Finally, the truly significant event reductions are driven by both revascularisation, an endpoint notoriously subject to preference that falsely inflates benefits,4 and non-fatal myocardial infarction. When the rate of avoiding one-time non-fatal coronary events is similar to the rate of statin-induced diabetes,5 with its sweeping long-term health implications, clinical decisions must be shared with patients and be sensitive to their preferences.

We believe that a rigorous standard for starting drug therapy in healthy, asymptomatic patients is required. This new analysis of old data does not support a modification of current guidelines for statin use in low-risk primary prevention."