1. Efficacy and safety of statins and ezetimibe in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in the elderly: A systematic review protocol. v1
- Author
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Fernandez-Gonzalez J
- Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death globally (1). The risk increases with age. Statins and ezetimibe are indicated for the prevention of CVD and its efficacy in secondary prevention (patients who have had an adverse CVD event) has been demonstrated in all age groups (2). However, there is controversy about its use in primary prevention (people without established CVD) in the elderly (3, 4), since the patients older than 75 years are a group of underrepresented population in clinical trials. This age threshold has been used in meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that did not shown evidence of an effect in cardiovascular events in people older than 75 years without vascular disease (5–7) . The latest clinical guidelines published in the United States and Europe differ notably in their recommendations (8–10). As other medicines, statins and ezetimibe are not exempt from adverse events. These are more frequent in geriatric patients, since comorbidities and polypharmacy frequently coexist. These factors can increase the risk of drug interactions and contribute to the impairment of renal and hepatic function (11). We describe a protocol for a systematic review that will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of statins and ezetimibe in people over 75 years of age.
- Published
- 2023