STAREE cut major cardiovascular events 30 per cent in people over 70
The European Society of Cardiology and Healio report that in 9,971 people over 70 with no known cardiovascular disease, atorvastatin 40 mg daily cut major cardiovascular events by 30 per cent while disability-free survival was unchanged. The event rate was 6.0 per cent on atorvastatin against 8.3 per cent on placebo. Muscle, liver and diabetes-related side effects were more common on the drug; serious adverse events were balanced. The results were presented at ESC Congress 2026.
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Atorvastatin cut major cardiovascular events by 30 per cent
STAREE followed 9,971 people aged 70 and over with no cardiovascular disease, diabetes or dementia at entry; mean age was 74.7 years and 52 per cent were women. Atorvastatin 40 mg daily cut major cardiovascular events by 30 per cent against placebo over a median 5.9 years of follow-up. The event rate was 6.0 per cent on atorvastatin against 8.3 per cent on placebo, with a hazard ratio of 0.70. Healio highlights the same split over six years of follow-up and reports that the results were presented at ESC Congress 2026. The European Society of Cardiology says the findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine on the same day.[1], [2]
Disability-free survival stayed unchanged as side effects diverged
The trial's other primary measure, the risk of death, dementia or lasting physical disability, was 12.8 per cent on atorvastatin against 13.6 per cent on placebo, and the difference was not significant. ESC stresses that disability-free survival was unchanged. Muscle, liver and diabetes-related adverse events were more frequent on atorvastatin, while serious adverse events occurred in 2.7 per cent of both groups. Healio also reports that serious adverse events remained balanced. That split shows the gain against first heart attack and stroke risk in older people did not simultaneously improve the disability picture.[1], [2]
Evidence widened for over-70s without known disease
STAREE showed that cholesterol-lowering medication reduced major events in people over 70 without known cardiovascular disease while leaving disability-free survival unchanged. Healio foregrounds that statins cut the risk of a first heart attack and stroke by 30 per cent after age 70. ESC reports the reduction in major cardiovascular events was firmly measured, while the disability measure showed no clear difference. The findings were presented at the ESC Congress in Munich and published in the journal the same day. The concrete message for clinicians is that event reduction in older, symptom-free adults was measured separately from the disability picture.[1], [2]
