Pharmacotherapy Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 14, 04/20/2009

Question

What data support the use of statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular (CVD) or coronary heart disease (CHD)?

Answer

A basic introduction to the impact of cardiovascular disease (CVD) worldwide and primary prevention strategies were reviewed in last week's newsletter.¹  This newsletter will focus on the clinical trial data supporting the use of statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) for the secondary prevention of recurrent cardiovascular (CV) events (such as acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarctions, or stroke).  It is well known that once a patient has experienced a CV event, their risk is high for a recurrent event.² Therefore, early and aggressive treatment of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with statins is currently the standard of care.  What are the main clinical trials that provide evidence for using statins in the secondary prevention of CVD?