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Graded relationship demonstrated between statins' effects on mortality and patients' coronary heart disease risk
According to an observational study recently published in the American Journal of Cardiology, use of a statin was associated with a 46% decrease in patients' odds of death compared with the risk of death in those not receiving a statin, despite the fact that statin users were in general at a higher risk for death. Furthermore, the magnitude of the observed mortality benefit associated with statin use appeared to increase as a patient's number of coronary heart disease risk factors increased.
The authors evaluated nearly 1.5 million veterans using the Veterans Affairs Computerized Patient-Care Review System, a database containing clinical and demographic data on all patients receiving care at 10 medical centers in the South Central Veterans Affairs Healthcare Network.
Of the 1,490,466 patients in this analysis, 228,528 (15.3%) patients received a statin (simvastatin, 77%; lovastatin, 19%; atorvastatin, 3%), and 1,261,938 (84.7%) patients did not. The researchers observed that patients taking a statin were significantly less likely to die than patients not taking a statin (adjusted OR=0.54; 95% CI, 0.42–0.69; P<.0001), even though statin users were older (46.4% were aged ≥70 years) than patients not receiving a statin and had a significantly higher incidence of coronary heart disease risk factors, including smoking; hypertension; diabetes mellitus; prior history of myocardial infarction (MI), angina pectoris, or coronary artery bypass surgery; obesity; and depression. Patients taking a statin also had higher total serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride levels than patients not taking a statin. Mean age at death was 2.1 years greater in patients receiving a statin compared with patients not receiving a statin (P<.0001).
The authors emphasized that the study was an important addition to the literature as it demonstrated a graded relationship between risk factors and statins' effects.
SOURCE Mehta JL, Bursac Z, Hauer-Jensen M, Fort C, Fink LM. Comparison of mortality rates in statin users versus nonstatin users in a United States veteran population. Am J Cardiol. 2006;98:923–928.
Coalition promotes important acetaminophen dosing reminders
November 18th 2014It may come as a surprise that each year Americans catch approximately 1 billion colds, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as 20% get the flu. This cold and flu season, 7 in 10 patients will reach for an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine to treat their coughs, stuffy noses, and sniffles. It’s an important time of the year to remind patients to double check their medicine labels so they don’t double up on medicines containing acetaminophen.
Support consumer access to specialty medications through value-based insurance design
June 30th 2014The driving force behind consumer cost-sharing provisions for specialty medications is the acquisition cost and not clinical value. This appears to be true for almost all public and private health plans, says a new report from researchers at the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID Center) and the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC).
Management of antipsychotic medication polypharmacy
June 13th 2013Within our healthcare-driven society, the increase in the identification and diagnosis of mental illnesses has led to a proportional increase in the prescribing of psychotropic medications. The prevalence of mental illnesses and subsequent treatment approaches may employ monotherapy as first-line treatment, but in many cases the use of combination of therapy can occur, leading to polypharmacy.1 Polypharmacy can be defined in several ways but it generally recognized as the use of multiple medications by one patient and the most common definition is the concurrent use of five more medications. The presence of polyharmacy has the potential to contribute to non-compliance, drug-drug interactions, medication errors, adverse events, or poor quality of life.
Medical innovation improves outcomes
June 12th 2013I have been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the pancreas, a disease that’s long been considered not just incurable, but almost impossible to treat-a recalcitrant disease that some practitioners feel has given oncology a bad name. I was told my life would be measured in weeks.
