A daily 40-milligram dose of atorvastatin reduced the relative risk of major cardiovascular events by 30 percent in adults aged 70 and older with no prior history of heart disease, diabetes, or dementia.
The clinical trial findings were presented to the European Society of Cardiology.
Researchers evaluated 9,971 participants with a mean age of 74.7 years over a median follow-up of 5.9 years.
The cholesterol medication showed clear protective benefits against heart attacks, strokes, and revascularization procedures.
However, it did not significantly alter overall disability-free survival rates, which measure living without physical disability or dementia.
Filling an Evidence Gap for Older Patients
The study addresses a longstanding gap in medical evidence on the primary prevention capabilities of statins in senior demographics.
Previous major clinical trials had routinely underrepresented older adults.
Lead researcher Professor Sophia Zoungas, from the Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Melbourne, Australia, highlighted the scale of heart health issues facing elderly populations.
"An estimated 21,000 older Australians suffer from major cardiovascular events, like heart attack and stroke, each year," said Zoungas.
The randomized, placebo-controlled trial split participants equally to monitor two primary metrics: heart-related complications and healthy longevity.
"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," said Zoungas.
Safety data submitted to the conference showed that serious adverse events remained low at 2.7 percent in both the treatment and placebo cohorts.
Although mild muscle, liver, and diabetes-related side effects occurred more frequently among participants taking atorvastatin, overall tolerance remained stable.
Zoungas emphasized the broader implications of the findings for global healthcare systems managing aging populations.
"With the world's population ageing at an unprecedented rate, answering fundamental questions about healthy longevity has become a universal imperative," she said.
"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," said Zoungas.
In the United Kingdom, where an estimated 7 to 8 million adults take statins, National Health Service data indicates that GP prescriptions for statins or ezetimibe reached approximately 5.3 million people in England during the 2023/24 financial year.
