Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
SHR Neuro Krebs Kardio Lipid Stoffw Microb
Dressel, A; Fath, F; Krämer, BK; Klose, G; März, W.
Statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Germany: benefits and costs.
Clin Res Cardiol. 2025;
Doi: 10.1007/s00392-025-02608-5
Web of Science
PubMed
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- Co-Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz
- März Winfried
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- Abstract:
- BACKGROUND: The reduction of LDL cholesterol lowers the risk of coronary and cerebrovascular events in individuals without manifest cardiovascular diseases. In Germany, statins at the expense of statutory health insurance had only been permitted for patients with atherosclerosis-related diseases or those at high cardiovascular risk (over 20 percent event probability within the next 10 years, calculated using one of the "available risk calculators"). However, international guidelines recommend lower risk thresholds for the use of statins. METHODS: The health and economic impacts of different risk thresholds for statin use in primary prevention within the German population are estimated for thresholds of 7.5, 10, and 15 percent over 10 years, based on the US Pooled Cohort Equation (PCE) which is valid for Germany, using Markov models. FINDINGS: Cost-effectiveness increases with a rising risk threshold, while individual benefit decreases with age at the start of treatment. The use of statins at a risk of 7.5 percent or more is cost-effective at any age (cost per QALY between 410 and 2100 Euros). In none of the examined scenarios does the proportion of the population qualifying for statin therapy exceed 25 percent. INTERPRETATION: Lowering the threshold for statin therapy to a risk of 7.5 percent of either non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease death, non-fatal or fatal stroke would align statin prescription in Germany with international standards. There is no urgent rationale for applying age-stratified risk thresholds.
- Find related publications in this database (Keywords)
- LDL cholesterol
- Statins
- Primary prevention
- Risk thresholds
- Cost
- Effectiveness