A 5-year 2x2 factorial trial is proposed to evaluate whether statin therapy and specific blood pressure regimens reduce cardiovascular events in elderly patients aged ≥70 years.
Does statin therapy and specific blood pressure regimens reduce the risk of cardiovascular and renal events in elderly patients (>=70 years) for primary prevention?
There is a critical need for a dedicated primary prevention trial in the elderly (>=70 years) to evaluate the risk/benefit balance of statin and antihypertensive therapies.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Statins have been shown conclusively to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in subjects with clinical cardiovascular disease or diabetes aged 65 to 80 years of age. However, few data are available for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in those aged > or =70 years. SUMMARY OF REVIEW: A moderate-dose statin was of little benefit in a population aged 70 to 82 years when given for 3 years in the setting of suboptimally treated blood pressure. More evidence supports the use of blood pressure-lowering medications, but few data are available regarding the appropriate blood pressure target and most effective agents in the elderly. Some evidence also suggests that the elderly could experience higher mortality with antihypertensive treatment. These findings, along with greater safety concerns and an increasing number of competing risks and medical conditions with advancing age, make it imperative to carefully evaluate the risk/benefit balance from treating hypercholesterolemia and hypertension in persons aged > or =70 years. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a 5-year 2x2 factorial trial of primary prevention in the elderly that will (1) evaluate whether statin therapy will reduce the risk of cardiovascular events when added to the treatment of hypertension to achieve a blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg in most patients and (2) determine the most appropriate blood pressure regimen for the prevention of cardiovascular and renal events.
Robinson et al. (Fri,) conducted a review in Cardiovascular disease primary prevention. Statin therapy and antihypertensive treatment was evaluated on Cardiovascular and renal events (proposed). A 5-year 2x2 factorial trial is proposed to evaluate whether statin therapy and specific blood pressure regimens reduce cardiovascular events in elderly patients aged ≥70 years.