STATINS (MIS)USE FOR PRIMARY CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Introduction and Objectives: In order to reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease, statins act lowering high cholesterol levels and consequent diminishes vascular atherogenesis. Millions of people had in their prescriptions cholesterol-lowering drugs each year with no measurable benefit. The aim of this study was to investigate if indiscriminate prescription of statins for dyslipidemia treatment occurs. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in a rural municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, located in Brazil´s south region. We evaluated the patients who had in their prescription atorvastatin during the year of 2015. Results and Conclusions: The study included 47 patients, of which 57.44% (n= 27) were female. The most prevalent age group was that between 60 to 79 years (n= 30). The majority of the sample were overweight or mildly obese (n= 33). Regarding risk factors for cardiovascular disease, 76.59% (n= 36) had systemic hypertension. The cardiovascular risk (Framingham score) was mild in 25.53% (n= 12), moderate in 48.93% (n= 23) and high in 25.53% (n= 12). Patients who were taking 20mg of atorvastatin per day accounted for 74.46% (n= 35) of the sample. It was observed that patients with mild cardiovascular risk were 1.33 times more likely to have in their prescription 20mg of atorvastatin per day (OR = 1.33, CI95%= 1.08-1.77). The other associations were not statistically significant. This study is a warning to primary care professionals in order to perform a more rigorous evaluation of this drug‘s use in low cardiovascular risk patients, ever since the occurrence of pronounced side effects as fatigue, rhabdomyolysis and memory loss.