New Statin Data Should Benefit Female Patients

A subgroup analysis of the Cholesterol and Recurrent Events (CARE) trial has revealed that women who have suffered a myocardial infarction and have average serum cholesterol levels can dramatically reduce the risk of a subsequent MI by taking a lipid-lowering agent, Bristol-Myers Squibb's HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor Pravachol (pravastatin).

The preliminary results of CARE were presented earlier this year at the American College of Cardiology meeting, and demonstrated that pravastatin reduced the risk of recurrent MI, cardiovascular death and stroke in all patients with average serum cholesterol levels (240mg/ dL or less).

The new analysis involved a total of 575 women who were randomly assigned to treatment with pravastatin 40mg/day or placebo. CARE also enrolled 3,583 men. The women who underwent therapy with pravastatin reduced their risk of all coronary events, including recurrent MI, cardiovascular death, and the need for revascularization procedures, by 48% compared to placebo. In addition, the women on pravastatin saw their risk of stroke reduce by 58%. This means that for every 1,000 women treated with the drug, 248 cardiovascular events could be avoided.