Statins Cut Heart Attack Stroke Risk 30% in Over-70s Trial

A landmark clinical trial has found that cholesterol-lowering statin medication significantly reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke in adults over 70, even when started later in life without prior cardiovascular disease. The results, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2026 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, are expected to influence treatment guidelines for older patients worldwide. The Statins in Reducing Events in the Elderly (STAREE) trial, led by Monash University researchers, followed nearly 10,000 independently living adults aged 70 and older. Participants had no history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or dementia. Over a median follow-up of 5.9 years, those taking the statin atorvastatin experienced a 30% reduction in the risk of a first major cardiovascular event, defined as cardiovascular death, nonfatal heart attack, stroke, or coronary revascularization, compared to those receiving a placebo. However, the trial found that statin therapy did not significantly improve disability-free survival, which was defined as survival free of dementia and persistent physical disability.