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Statins in heart failure: do we need another trial?

Authors Osei Bonsu K, Kadirvelu A , Reidpath D

Received 25 February 2013

Accepted for publication 11 April 2013

Published 17 June 2013 Volume 2013:9 Pages 303—319

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/VHRM.S44499

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 3



Kwadwo Osei Bonsu, Amudha Kadirvelu, Daniel Diamond Reidpath

School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia

Abstract: Statins lower serum cholesterol and are employed for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. Clinical evidence from observational studies, retrospective data, and post hoc analyses of data from large statin trials in various cardiovascular conditions, as well as small scale randomized trials, suggest survival and other outcome benefits for heart failure. Two recent large randomized controlled trials, however, appear to suggest statins do not have beneficial effects in heart failure. In addition to lowering cholesterol, statins are believed to have many pleotropic effects which could possibly influence the pathophysiology of heart failure. Following the two large trials, evidence from recent studies appears to support the use of statins in heart failure. This review discusses the role of statins in the pathophysiology of heart failure, current evidence for statin use in heart failure, and suggests directions for future research.

Keywords: statins, treatment, heart failure, comorbidity, mortality

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