Statins associated with a 75% increased risk of death in patients with lung disease

This study was published in the American Thoracic Society Journal 2010.181.1_MeetingAbstracts.A170110.1164

Study title and authors:
Effect Of Statin Therapy On Outcomes In Patients With Acute Lung Injury And Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
Seth R. Bauer, PharmD, Simon W. Lam, PharmD, Anita J. Reddy, MD

This study can be accessed at: http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2010.181.1_MeetingAbstracts.A1701

Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome is a life-threatening medical condition where the lungs can't provide enough oxygen for the rest of the body.

This study investigated the effects of statins on patients diagnosed with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome who received treatment in an intensive care unit setting. The study included 187 patients who were divided into three groups:
(i) Patients who received statins before and continued after acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis.
(ii) Patients who received statins before but not after acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis.
(iii) Patients who never had statins.

The study found:
(a) Overall, patients who received statins had a 75% increased risk of death compared to patients who never had statins.
(b) Patients who received statins before and continued after acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis had a 114% increased risk of death compared to patients who never had statins.
(c) Patients who received statins before but not after acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis had a 41% increased risk of death compared to patients who never had statins.

Links to other studies:
Link between statin use and interstitial lung disease
63.5% of patients report experiencing side-effects due to statins
Doctor says statin drug hypersensitivity reactions are potentially life-threatening

63.5% of patients report experiencing side-effects due to statins

This study was published in the Eastern Mediterranean health Journal 2011 May;17(5):460-4.

Study title and authors:
Patients' report of statins use and side-effects in a sample of hospitalized cardiac patients in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mashayekhi SO, Ghandforoush-Sattari M, Baghdadchi ME, Kheyri M.
National Public Health Management Centre, Clinical Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran. mashayekhis@yahoo.co.uk

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21796961

The aim of the study was to ascertain the prevalence of the side-effects of statins among patients admitted to a cardiac-specialized hospital who had taken statins prior to hospitalization. Data was collected on 200 patients, average age 61.5 years.

The study found:
(a) 63.5% of patients reported experiencing side-effects due to statins.
(b) The side-effects included:
(bi) Gastrointestinal 18.5%
(bii) Headache 16.5%
(biii) Eleveated transaminase levels 12.5% (elevated transaminase levels indicate liver damage).
(biv) Muscle problems 9.5%
(bv) Alergic reactions 5%
(bvi) Respiratory problems 4%
(bvii) Rash 0.5%
(c) Muscle pain was observed in 100% of patients receiving 80 mg per day of atrovastatin.

Mashayekhi concludes that: "Clinicians should be aware of the adverse effects of statins".