Primary and Secondary Effects of Statin on Cerebro-Cardiovascular Disease Using the Nationwide Health Screening Data

Abstract

\n Background and Purpose Dyslipidemia is a significant risk factor for cerebro-cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Limited evidence is available on the prevention effect of statin in a nationwide large population. We aim to verify the primary and secondary prevention effects of statin on CVD among not only the general adult population but also elderly over 60 years.Methods This study is a big data cohort study using propensity score-matched data from the Korean National Health Screening Cohort. Differences in the cumulative incidence of major adverse cerebro-cardiovascular events and hazard ratio between the statin-user and the non-statin-user groups were investigated.Results A propensity score-matched pairs of statin-user and non-statin-user identified 64,182 population of 40–75 years old without CVD and 24,688 with accompanying diseases. In this group, statin showed both primary (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.70–0.83, p<0.001) and secondary (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.79–0.95, p=0.004) prevention effect. In the elderly over 60 years, statin only showed primary prevention effect (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.76–0.96, p=0.008) in the 26,836 propensity score-matched pairs.Conclusions Statin use in the elderly showed the primary prevention effect on CVD. Taking statin is desirable for both general population of dyslipidemia patients and elders over 60 years with CVD risk factors.