[US] USPSTF Finalizes Statin Recommendations for CVD Prevention

On November 13, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released the final recommendations and evidence summary for the use of statins for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults.

The recommendations are available online at www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org

​Main points of the recommendations are as follows:

• Low- to moderate-dose statins in adults aged 40 to 75 years who do not have a history of CVD but who do have one or more CVD risk factors (dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, or smoking) and who have a 10% or greater risk of having a CVD event (myocardial infarction or stroke) over the next 10 years (B recommendation).
• On the basis of a discussion with patients, clinicians should selectively offer low- to moderate-dose statins to adults aged 40 to 75 years who do not have a history of CVD but who have one or more CVD risk factors and a 7.5% to 10% risk for a CVD event in the next 10 years (C recommendation).
• Evidence is insufficient for the benefits and harms of starting statins in adults 76 years and older (I statement).

In a series of editorials, experts weighed in about the new recommendations. Their responses reveal the contentious debate about statins for CVD prevention and emphasize persisting gaps in the evidence base.
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http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/871837?nlid=110752_1983&src=WNL_mdplsnews_161118_mscpedit_fmed&uac=151849FY&spon=34&impID=1237367&faf=1

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