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Statins confer benefits in heart structure, function

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Beyond cholesterol lowering, statins are associated with improved heart structure and function, according to data presented at EuroCMR in Prague.

“Statins have other beneficial, non-cholesterol lowering, effects,” Nay Aung, MD, a cardiologist and Wellcome Trust research fellow at the William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University, London, said in a press release. “They can improve the function of the blood vessels, reduce inflammation and stabilize fatty plaques in the blood vessels. Studies in mice and small studies in humans have shown that statins also reduce the thickness of heart muscle, but this needed to be confirmed in a larger study.”

Aung and colleagues studied 4,622 individuals without CVD from the UK Biobank cohort. Left and right ventricular volumes and LV mass were measured by cardiac MRI. Medical records and self-reported questionnaires were used to determine the prescription of statin therapy.

In the study population, 16.9% were taking statins and those prescribed the therapy were more likely to be older, have higher BMI and BP, and have diabetes and hypertension.

The researchers observed a negative relationship between statin use and LV end-diastolic volume (–2.4%; P < .0001), end-systolic volume (–2.9%; P < .01), LV mass (–2.4%; P = .001), RV end-diastolic volume (–1.5%; P <.01) and RV end-systolic volume (–3%; P < .0001).

“People using statins were less likely to have a thickened heart muscle ([LV] hypertrophy) and less likely to have a large heart chamber,” Aung said in the release. “Having a thick, large heart is a strong predictor of future [MI], [HF] or stroke, and taking statins appears to reverse the negative changes in the heart which, in turn, could lower the risk of adverse outcomes.

“It is important to note that, in our study, the people taking statins were at higher risk of having heart problems than those not using statins, yet they still had positive heart remodeling compared to the healthier control group.” – by Cassie Homer

Reference:

Aung N, et al. Quick Fire abstract session 3. Presented at: EuroCMR; May 25-27, 2017; Prague.

Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.