Long-Term Use of Lipid-Lowering Drugs Slows Progression of Carotid Atherosclerosis

2,974 subjects (1,532 women and 1,442 men) from a general population participating in a longitudinal study

Lipid-lowering drugs (long-term use defined as >5 years, or any-time use defined as use at baseline, 6 years, or 13 years)

No long-term use of lipid-lowering drugs (multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, prevalent cardiovascular disease, and daily smoking)

Change in carotid intima media thickness and total plaque area in the right carotid artery measured by ultrasound at 13 years follow-upsurrogate