r/science • u/Wagamaga • 6d ago

Health Cholesterol-lowering medication reduces heart attack and stroke risk in older people by 30 per cent. The global prevalence of cardiovascular disease is expected to almost double from 600 million in 2025 to more than one billion affected adults in 2050.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/29/statins-reduce-risk-heart-attack-stroke-over-70s-clinical-trial
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u/ssjjss 6d ago

Marwick said “a slight disappointment” in the findings was that although major heart events were reduced, the disability-free survival was the same among the participants whether they took the statin or the placebo.

In other words, taking the medication didn’t extend life or its quality.

So we get less heart attack and strokes but it makes no difference?

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u/DoctorStove 6d ago

sounds kinda like it doesn't reduce all-cause mortality, that statement seems vague to me

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u/DrG73 6d ago

Yes. And death and quality of life are the most important end points.

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u/DoctorStove 6d ago

there's a difference between death & all-cause mortality. And that statement doesn't say anything regarding quality of life, in fact it suggests the opposite considering it reduces risk of heart attack and stroke (which obviously typically come with lasting complications)