HMG CoA reductase inhibitors and quality of life

To the Editor. —The Air Force Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study (AFCAPS) is an ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled primary prevention trial to determine whether treatment with the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase inhibitor, lovastatin, will prevent coronary heart disease in persons with mild to moderate elevations of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. A total of 6605 participants without clinical evidence of coronary heart disease are enrolled, including men aged 45 to 73 years and women aged 55 to 73 years. Participants will be followed annually for total coronary heart disease events during a minimum of 5 years. A trial of this size and duration provides an opportunity to evaluate the long-term impact of cholesterol-lowering drug treatment on patient quality of life (QoL). In fact, it may be argued that it is imperative to assess the impact of long-term pharmacologic therapy on QoL in asymptomatic