Support for Moderate-Intensity Statin plus Ezetimibe in Older Patients

Compared with high-intensity statins, this alternate regimen lowered LDL-C similarly, with significantly fewer muscle symptoms, in patients 70 and older.

Some high-risk patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) — including many older patients — do not receive standard-of-care high-intensity statin therapy due to intolerance concerns. While a growing body of evidence supports alternate use of a moderate-intensity statin plus a nonstatin agent to improve tolerability without compromising efficacy (e.g., NEJM JW Cardiol Aug 3 2022 and Lancet 2022; 400:380), data are lacking in older patients.

In a prospective, open-label, randomized trial in South Korea, researchers compared outcomes among 561 patients aged ≥70 years with ASCVD who were randomized to either moderate-intensity statin therapy (rosuvastatin 5 mg) combined with ezetimibe or high-intensity statin monotherapy (rosuv…

Reviewing Author

Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, FACC

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBoehringer Ingelheim; Amgen; Novartis; Lilly; Amarin

Speaker’s BureauBoehringer Ingelheim

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Editorial BoardsCirculation (Associate Editor)