Table 1.

Meta-Analyses of Randomized Trials of Statins for Primary Prevention Not Limited to Older Adults

Study	Studies, n	Participants, n	Follow-Up, Years	Age Criteria	Age	CVD Outcome	Non-CVD outcome
Cholesterol Treatment Trialists collaborators 3	22 statin v placebo 5 high- vs low-dose statin	134,537 39,612	4.8 5.1	No restriction	59 ± 8 61 ± 9	-For low ASCVD risk (<5.0%), fatal and nonfatal ASCVD event, RR=0.57, 99% CI=0.36–0.89 -For medium ASCVD risk (5.0–9.9%), fatal and nonfatal ASCVD event, RR=0.61,99% CI=0.5 to −0.74	Annual excess risk of hemorrhagic stroke per 1.0 mmol/L low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction was 0.5/1,000 people over 5 years; Absolute excess risk of DM was 0.1% per year
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force 4–6	19 RCTs; statin vs placebo	71 344	0.5–6	No restriction	51–66	All-cause death, RR=0.86, 95% CI=0.80–0.93; cardiovascular mortality, RR=0.69, 95% CI=0.54–0.88; stroke, RR=0.71, 95% CI=0.62–0.82; myocardial infarction, RR=0.64, 95% CI=0.57–0.71; composite cardiovascular outcomes, RR=0.70, 95% CI=0.63–0.78	Statins vs placebo: No significantly greater risk of myalgia (RR=0.96, 95% CI=0.79–1.16), liver-related harm (RR=1.10, 95% CI=0.90–1.35), or DM (RR=1.05, 95% CI=0.91–1.20). One RCT found that high-intensity statins were associated with greater risk of DM (RR=1.25, 95% CI=1.05–1.49).

CVD=cardiovascular disease; ASCVD=atherosclerotic CVD; RR=relative risk; CI=confidence interval; DM=diabetes mellitus; RCT=randomized controlled trial.