Settled
Do statins improve cardiovascular events versus placebo?
Mostly studied in coronary & atherosclerotic disease. Also asked against other treatments.
Not modeled yetTrial evidence exists, but no mechanistic model yetWithout a model there is no decisive experiment to propose. Help build it. →
Where the evidence stands
Very likely. So far, repeated by independent trials.
NoUnsureYes
- Belief
- 0.86 (range 0.56–1.00)
- Trials for
- 12
- Trials against
- 2
- Inconclusive
- 7
Already under way
- STAT-CAT: Statin Therapy to Prevent Cancer Associated Venous ThromboembolismNCT07303816 · recruiting · started 2026
- A Registry-based Randomized Controlled Trial of Moderate-intensity Statin Therapy vs. Individualized Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Target-based Therapy…NCT07359105 · recruiting · started 2026
- OPtimal Medical Strategy for Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Treated With Drug-eluting Stents: Enhancing Outcomes With antiPlatelet and Lipid-lowering…NCT07432516 · not yet recruiting · started 2026
- Utilizing Lipid-lowering Therapy With Moderate-intensity Statin Plus Ezetimibe in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients With Concomitant Atherosclerotic…NCT07524101 · recruiting · started 2026
- Pitavastatin With Ezetimibe Combination Therapy Versus High-intensity Statin in Older Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary…NCT07626840 · not yet recruiting · started 2026
The evidence so far
- Registered trials
- 205
- With posted results
- 28
- Published papers
- 139
Of 84 decided analyses: 48 favor statins, 33 find no difference, 3 favor the comparator.
Papers
- Relative effects of statin therapy on stroke and cardiovascular events in men and women: secondary analysis of the Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL) Study.Trial report · 2008
- Reduced coronary events in simvastatin-treated patients with coronary heart disease and diabetes or impaired fasting glucose levels: subgroup analyses in the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study.Trial report
- A randomized trial of rosuvastatin in the prevention of venous thromboembolism.Trial report · 2009
- Rosuvastatin to prevent vascular events in men and women with elevated C-reactive protein.Trial report · 2008
- Effect of pravastatin on cardiovascular events in older patients with myocardial infarction and cholesterol levels in the average range. Results of the Cholesterol and Recurrent Events (CARE) trial.Trial report · 1998
- Incremental effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on cardiovascular events in statin-treated patients with coronary artery disease.Trial report · 2009
Trials
- A Prospective Randomized, Open-Label, Parallel-Group Comparative Study: Atorvastatin Pre-Treatment Versus Usual Care In Asian Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes Undergoing Early Percutaneous Coronary InterventionNCT00728988 · 8 posted results
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Pravastatin to Prevent Preeclampsia in High Risk WomenNCT03944512 · 1 posted result
- Randomized Trial to Prevent Vascular Events in HIV - REPRIEVENCT02344290 · 18 posted results
- Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation-3NCT00468923 · 4 posted results
- A Randomized, Multicenter Clinical Trial to Assess the Effect of Atorvastatin in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome and Intended Percutaneous Coronary InterventionNCT01448642 · 2 posted results
- A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel Group, 12 Week Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of MK0524B Versus Atorvastatin in Patients With Mixed HyperlipidemiaNCT00289900 · 1 posted result
- A Phase III Multicenter, Double-Blind, Crossover Design Study to Evaluate Lipid-Altering Efficacy and Safety of Extended-Release Niacin/Laropiprant/Simvastatin Combination Tablet in Patients With Primary Hypercholesterolemia or Mixed DyslipidemiaNCT01294683 · 1 posted result
- A Prospective, Double-blinded, Randomised Study to Evaluate the Effects of Different Doses of Statin Treatment on Plaque Volume and Composition in Coronary Disease Determined by Virtual Histology Using Intravascular UltrasoundNCT01200056