Cholesterol Drug Cuts Heart Attack, Stroke Risk 30%
A decade-long clinical trial involving 10,000 participants has found that statins significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people over 70. Researchers hope these findings will lead to updated medical guidelines for managing cardiovascular health in the elderly.
Why it matters
As the global population ages and cardiovascular disease prevalence rises, this study provides critical evidence for treating a demographic previously underrepresented in clinical trials.
A world-first clinical trial conducted by Monash University researchers has shown that cholesterol-lowering medication can reduce heart attack and stroke in people aged over 70 years.
Statins are commonly prescribed to manage high cholesterol in people up to 75 years, and are known to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
But until now it was unclear whether they were effective in older people.
New research from Monash University, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented concurrently at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2026, found the medication decreases the risk of a first major cardiovascular event by 30 per cent for adults aged over 70 living independently.
The Statins in Reducing Events in the Elderly (STAREE) Trial is the first randomised controlled trial of statin therapy to examine whether the drugs could help in older people who have historically been overlooked in clinical trials.
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