The effect of statins on mortality and cardiovascular disease in primary care hypertensive patients without other cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

• Studies in primary health care (PHC) assessing the effect of primary prevention with statins on mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are scarce. This study aimed to estimate the effect of statins on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke in individuals in PHC with hypertension without CVD or diabetes.Using the Swedish PHC quality assurance register QregPV, the study included 13 193 individuals with hypertension without CVD or diabetes, who had filled a first statin prescription between 2010 and 2016, and 13 193 matched controls without a filled statin prescription at index date. Controls were matched on sex and propensity score using clinical data and data from national registers on co-morbidities, prescriptions, and socioeconomic status. The effect of statins was estimated in Cox regression models.During a median of 4.2 years of follow-up, 395 individuals in the statin group versus 475 in the control group died, 197 versus 232 died of cardiovascular disease, 171 versus 191 had a MI, and 161 versus 181 had a stroke. The treatment effect of statins was significant for all-cause mortality (HR 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74-0.93) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.72-0.998). Overall, no significant treatment effect of statins was seen for MI (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.74-1.07), but there was a significant interaction with sex (p=0.008) with decreased risk of MI for women but not for men (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.49-0.88 versus HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.86-1.38).Primary prevention with statins in PHC was associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and in women, lower risk of MI.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Allmänmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- General Practice (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)