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Expert panel advocates broader use of statins in blacks
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Statins are underutilized in the African- American population, according to an article published in the Association of Black Cardiologists Inc.’s Digest of Urban Cardiology.
The article analyzed available data for statins and concluded that general statin use is both safe and highly effective.
“Further efforts should be aimed at assuring adequate access and availability of statins to populations most at risk, including African-Americans,” said Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, in a press release from the Association of Black Cardiologists. Watson is director of the UCLA Center for Cholesterol and Hypertension Management and chairperson of the Association of Black Cardiologists Cholesterol Committee.
All statins examined
An Association of Black Cardiologists panel of experts analyzed available data for all statins including rosuvastatin (Crestor, Astra Zeneca); atorvastatin (Lipitor, Pfizer); simvastatin (Zocor, Merck); pravastatin (Pravachol, Bristol-Myers Squibb); fluvastatin (Lescol, Novartis); lovastatin (Mevacor, Merck & Co.); and the now withdrawn cerivastatin (Baycol, Bayer).
According to the expert panel, these data demonstrate that all statins, with the exception of cerivastatin, are generally well-tolerated with a very rare occurrence of serious adverse effects.
The panel examined the results of clinical trials either analyzing subpopulations of broader trials or exclusively studying statin use in blacks.
For instance, results of the ARIES (African American Rosuvastatin Investigation of Efficacy and Safety) trial determined that among black patients, rosuvastatin at 10 mg and 20 mg reduced LDL cholesterol by 37% and 46% vs. 32% and 39% at similar doses with atorvastatin.
Despite evidence that effective cholesterol lowering can be achieved with statin use in blacks, “statins remain underutilized in the African-American population, thus those that might stand to benefit most are least likely to receive these life-saving medications,” said Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, medical director of the Heartbeats Life Center and principal investigator of the ARIES trial, in a press release.