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Cholesterol-lowering agents, particularly statins, have been shown to prevent coronary artery disease and to reduce risk for new-onset heart failure. However, observational studies have suggested a relation between higher serum cholesterol levels and improved outcome in patients with established, chronic heart failure.
To provide further insight into this relation, researchers conducted a single-center, observational study from 1992 to 1999 in 114 British patients with moderate to severe heart failure (derivation group). Then the researchers evaluated the predictive value of their results in another 303 heart-failure patients (validation group). About one fifth of both groups were receiving lipid-lowering therapy.
Survival rates were 78% at 1…