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Statin therapy may be associated with lower risk of AF in women
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Statins may be effective in reducing AF in women, according to study results.
The study involved 2,673 post-menopausal women with prior coronary disease in the Heart and Estrogen-Progestin Replacement Study (HERS). Researchers examined the association between statin use and the prevalence and incidence of AF.
After an average follow-up of just over four years and adjusting for age, race and other risk factors, the prevalence of AF was 65% lower and the incidence of AF was 55% lower in patients using statin therapy.
“Since past studies have shown benefits of statin therapy in the male population, we wanted to take a closer look at the effectiveness of statin therapy in women with regard to the risk of developing AF,” said Cara Pellegrini, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, in a press release.
We do not have enough evidence at this point to say that one should start a statin to prophylaxis against AF. In the future that could be the case, but we would need more data. Pending further evidence, this result gives one other little bit of evidence to tip someone toward taking their statin as opposed to not.
Richard Page, MD
Professor and Head, Division of Cardiology at
University of Washington School of Medicine
For more information:
- Pellegrini C, et al. AB11-5.