In individuals with a history of myocardial infarction or very high cardiovascular risk profiles, statin therapy reduces the incidence of cardiovascular events.

Study: Bempedoic Acid and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Statin-Intolerant Patients.

Even though this study didn't use statins, it used a different pill that lowers bad cholesterol in people who already had heart problems or are at very high risk — and it reduced heart attacks and other heart events. This supports the idea that lowering bad cholesterol, whether with statins or similar drugs, helps prevent future heart problems.

Study: Rosuvastatin in older patients with systolic heart failure.

For people with serious heart failure, taking rosuvastatin didn't stop them from dying or having heart attacks, but it did cut down on hospital visits for heart problems. This suggests statins still help reduce serious heart issues, even if not every outcome improved.

Study: Cardiovascular event reduction and adverse events among subjects attaining low-density lipoprotein cholesterol <50 mg/dl with rosuvastatin. The JUPITER trial (Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin).

For people at very high risk of heart problems, taking rosuvastatin (a statin) and lowering their bad cholesterol below 50 mg/dL cut their risk of heart attacks and strokes by 65%, with no extra side effects.

Study: Addition of Ezetimibe to statins for patients at high cardiovascular risk: Systematic review of patient‐important outcomes

For people who already had a heart attack or are at very high risk, taking statins helps prevent more heart attacks and strokes — this study shows that even when you add another drug to statins, the number of heart attacks and strokes goes down, meaning statins are doing their job.