Statins Reduce Amputation, Death Risk in PAD Patients

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and who are taking statins have a lower risk of amputation and death than those who are not taking statins, according to new research.

These findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology Peripheral Vascular Disease 2016 Scientific Sessions on May 6, 2016.
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Current statin dose guidelines for PAD are based on coronary artery disease and stroke data. The researchers conducted this study to investigate the optimal use of statins in patients with PAD, specifically, how they affect amputation and mortality rates.

To conduct their study, the researchers collected health information and status from 208,275 electronic health records of veterans with PAD from the Veterans Affairs’ database.

After an average 5.2-year follow-up, the researchers found that 17,643 patients had had a limb amputated, and 99,951 patients had died. Further, 30.4% of patients were taking simvastatin 80 mg—no longer recommended due to drug toxicity— and 27.7% were not taking statins.

Those taking high-dose statins had a 33% lower risk of amputation and 29% lower risk of death than those not taking statins. In addition, those taking low to moderate doses of statins had a 22% lower risk of amputation and death.

“This is one of the largest population-based studies to examine the effect of statins on long-term PAD outcomes and the first to explore the dose-dependent effect of statins on amputation and mortality,” the researchers concluded. “High-intensity statins are associated with a significant reduction in limb loss and mortality in PAD patients, followed by a smaller risk reduction by low-moderate intensity statins as compared to no statin therapy.”

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Arya S, Khakharia A, Binney ZO, et al. Statins have a dose-dependent effect on amputation risk and survival in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients. Paper presented at: American Heart Association’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology | Peripheral Vascular Disease 2016 Scientific Sessions; May 5-7, 2016; Nashville, TN. http://professional.heart.org/idc/groups/ahamah-public/@wcm/@sop/@scon/documents/downloadable/ucm_485217.pdf. Accessed May 9, 2016.