A study of over 30,000 heart disease patients on statins suggests that aiming for very low cholesterol levels might not be necessary for everyone, even though guidelines recommend it.

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Community contributions welcome

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Association Between Achieved Low-Density Lipoprotein Levels and Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients With Stable Ischemic Heart Disease Taking Statin Treatment.

Cohort Study

Human

2016 Aug 1

The study looked at heart patients on statins and found that having very low cholesterol levels didn't help more than having moderately low levels, which backs up the idea that not everyone needs super low targets.

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

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According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Association Between Achieved Low-Density Lipoprotein Levels and Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients With Stable Ischemic Heart Disease Taking Statin Treatment.

Score: 33

DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.2751

Similar Assertions

For heart disease patients on statin drugs, having very low cholesterol levels doesn't seem to make a big difference in heart problems compared to having slightly higher levels, according to a large study.

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People with heart disease who take statin drugs and get their bad cholesterol down to a lower range (70-100) are less likely to have serious heart problems than those with slightly higher cholesterol (100-130).

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Taking statins to lower bad cholesterol by a certain amount can cut heart attack and stroke risk by about a quarter in the first year.

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If you have HIV and your 'bad' cholesterol is already really high (190 or more), you're much more likely to see a big drop in it after starting a statin pill than someone whose reason for taking statins isn't clear — so your starting cholesterol level might tell doctors how well the medicine will work for you.

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