LIPID study

The Long-term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischaemic Disease (LIPID) study was a double-blind randomised placebo controlled study of the effect of pravastatin in patients with a history of myocardial infarction or unstable angina who had a broad range of cholesterol levels.

Patients randomised to pravastatin showed a 20-30% relative risk reduction for a range of cardiovascular including:

• overall mortality
• myocardial infarction
• stroke

This study suggests that any patient with a previous diagnosis of unstable angina or myocardial infarction should receive a statin.

For every 1000 patients treated for 6.1 years the following end-points were avoided:

• 30 deaths
• 28 non-fatal myocardial infarctions
• 9 non-fatal strokes
• 23 coronary bypass operations
• 20 coronary angioplasties
• 82 hospital admissions for unstable angina

Reference:

• (1) LIPID study group. (1998) Prevention of cardiovascular events and death with pravastatin in patients with coronary heart disease and a broad range of initial cholesterol levels. New Engl. J. Med. 339, 1349-57