High Degree of Adherence to Statin Therapy Among the Elderly Despite High Frequency of Side Effects

The aims of the present study were to investigate adherence and side effects of statin therapy in elderly patients (≥75 years) after primary statin prescription, to identify possible differences related to whether statin treatment was initiated in primary care or in hospital, and to investigate whether there was any correlation between side effects of statin therapy and statin dose or renal impairment. In two primary health care populations, all patients ≥75 years of age recently initiated on statin therapy were identified through the patient data records (n = 90) and asked to complete a questionnaire. Of 68 subjects responding to the questionnaire, 87% reported adherence to the statin therapy and 29% reported side effects. No statistically significant difference was seen for adherence or frequency of side effects depending on whether therapy was initiated in primary care or in hospital. In conclusion, elderly patients appear to exhibit a high degree of adherence to statin treatment despite a high incidence of side effects.