@article {Gitselse000780, author = {Lisanne Andra Gitsels and Ilyas Bakbergenuly and Nicholas Steel and Elena Kulinskaya}, title = {Do statins reduce mortality in older people? Findings from a longitudinal study using primary care records}, volume = {9}, number = {2}, elocation-id = {e000780}, year = {2021}, doi = {10.1136/fmch-2020-000780}, publisher = {BMJ Specialist Journals}, abstract = {Objective Assess whether statins reduce mortality in the general population aged 60 years and above.Design Retrospective cohort study.Setting Primary care practices contributing to The Health Improvement Network database, England and Wales, 1990{\textendash}2017.Participants Cohort who turned age 60 between 1990 and 2000 with no previous cardiovascular disease or statin prescription and followed up until 2017.Results Current statin prescription was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality from age 65 years onward, with greater reductions seen at older ages. The adjusted HRs of mortality associated with statin prescription at ages 65, 70, 75, 80 and 85 years were 0.76 (95\% CI 0.71 to 0.81), 0.71 (95\% CI 0.68 to 0.75), 0.68 (95\% CI 0.65 to 0.72), 0.63 (95\% CI 0.53 to 0.73) and 0.54 (95\% CI 0.33 to 0.92), respectively. The adjusted HRs did not vary by sex or cardiac risk.Conclusions Using regularly updated clinical information on sequential treatment decisions in older people, mortality predictions were updated every 6 months until age 85 years in a combined primary and secondary prevention population. The consistent mortality reduction of statins from age 65 years onward supports their use where clinically indicated at age 75 and older, where there has been particular uncertainty of the benefits.Data may be obtained from a third party and are not publicly available. For all interested researchers, THIN data are available via QuintilesIMS, subject to ethical approval of the THIN Scientific Review Committee and governance controls.}, issn = {2305-6983}, URL = {https://fmch.bmj.com/content/9/2/e000780}, eprint = {https://fmch.bmj.com/content/9/2/e000780.full.pdf}, journal = {Family Medicine and Community Health} }