Drugs Can Help Heart Patients Fight Infection

CHOLESTEROL-lowering drugs can reduce the risk of an often fatal condition in heart disease patients caused by infection, new research has shown.

The drugs, called statins, are widely used to prevent atherosclerosis, the furring up and narrowing of arteries.

Earlier animal studies suggested that they might also help prevent sepsis, a condition brought on by overwhelming infection that can cause the failure of multiple organs, including the heart, lungs and kidneys.

Researchers led by Dr Donald Redelmeier, from Sunnybrook & Women’s Hospital in Ontario, Canada, analysed data from more than 69,000 people aged over 65 with heart and artery disease.

All were patients who had been hospitalised. Half were prescribed statins when discharged, and half were not.

The findings showed that, after two years, 551 patients were re- admitted to hospital for sepsis in the statin group, compared with 667 in the other group, a difference of 19%.

Dr Redelmeier said: “The use of statins in patients with atherosclerosis was associated with a significantly reduced risk of sepsis, including severe sepsis and fatal sepsis.”