Popular cholesterol lowering drugs such as Lipitor (atorvastatin) fail to lower the risk of pneumonia in older adults, finds a new study.
"Prior research based on automated claims data had raised some hope-and maybe some hype-for statins as a way to prevent and treat infections including pneumonia," said Dr Sascha Dublin, a physician at Group Health and assistant investigator at Group Health Center for Health Studies.
Pneumonia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, Complications
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by a bacteria or a virus. It causes inflammation of the alveoli or the air sacs of the lungs.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by a bacteria or a virus. It causes inflammation of the alveoli or the air sacs of the lungs.
The research, involving 65- to 94-year-old patients, showed that pneumonia risk was, if anything, almost 26 pct higher in people using statin than in those not using any; and this extra risk was 61 pct higher for pneumonia severe enough to require being hospitalized.
"As a doctor, I'm a fan of statins for what they've been proven to do: lowering cholesterol and risk of heart disease and stroke in people who've had either disease or are at risk for them," said Dublin.
Atorvastatin
This medication is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, also known as "statin”, prescribed for hyperlipidemia.
This medication is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, also known as "statin”, prescribed for hyperlipidemia.
The study appears in British Medical Journal.
Advertisement
Prior Vaccination Against Pneumonia Ensures Lower Risk of Death
The Archives of Internal Medicine has reported that among patients who were hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia, those who had received the pneumococcal vaccine had a lower risk of death.
The Archives of Internal Medicine has reported that among patients who were hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia, those who had received the pneumococcal vaccine had a lower risk of death.
LIN
Dementia Risk in Elderly Reduced by Statins
Cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins may lower dementia risk in older adults, according to a new study.
Cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins may lower dementia risk in older adults, according to a new study.
