The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7243 p468
5 April 2003

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Congress summary  April 12    April 5

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American College of Cardiology congress (more)

Long-term statins reduce anxiety ...

Long-term use of statins was associated with a reduced risk of anxiety, depression and hostility in 140 elderly patients who used statins continuously for an average of four years, compared with 219 patients who used them intermittently and 231 who did not use them. Odds ratios were 0.64 (95 per cent confidence interval 0.43–0.93) for an abnormal depression score, 0.62 (CI 0.43–0.90) for anxiety and 0.65 (CI 0.45–0.93) for hostility.

... and atrial fibrillation

Long-term use of statins was associated with a lower occurrence of atrial fibrillation. In 132 patients using statins for an average of four years, continuous statin use was associated with an annualised incidence rate for atrial fibrillation of 2.0 per cent compared with 3.9 per cent for 192 non-users (odds ratio 0.41, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.22–0.78).

Data were presented at the American College of Cardiology congress held in Chicago this week.

The Pharmaceutical Journal attended the American College of Cardiology congress courtesy of Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals