Frequency of new coronary events in older persons with peripheral arterial disease and serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥125 mg/dl treated with statins versus no lipid-lowering drug

Abstract

Older patients with hypercholesterolemia are at increased risk for new coronary events 1 Castelli W.P. Wilson P.W.F. Levy D. Anderson K. Cardiovascular disease in the elderly. Am J Cardiol. 1989; 63: 12H-19H Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (227) Google Scholar , 2 Aronow W.S. Ahn C. Risk factors for new coronary events in a large cohort of very elderly patients with and without coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol. 1996; 77: 864-866 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (111) Google Scholar and patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are also at increased risk for new coronary events. 3 Smith G.D. Shipley M.J. Rose G. Intermittent claudication, heart disease risk factors, and mortality the Whitehall study. Circulation. 1990; 82: 1925-1931 Crossref PubMed Scopus (377) Google Scholar , 4 Aronow W.S. Ahn C. Mercando A.D. Epstein S. Prognostic significance of silent ischemia in elderly patients with peripheral arterial disease with and without previous myocardial infarction. Am J Cardiol. 1992; 69: 137-139 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (44) Google Scholar , 5 Mautner G.C. Mautner S.L. Roberts W.C. Amounts of coronary arterial narrowing by atherosclerotic plaque at necropsy in patients with lower extremity amputation. Am J Cardiol. 1992; 70: 1147-1151 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (52) Google Scholar We are reporting data from an observational study investigating the effect of statins on the incidence of new coronary events in older men and women with PAD and a serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol ≥125 mg/dl who were followed prospectively for the incidence of new coronary events.