Statins cut first heart attack and stroke risk 30% after age 70

Statins are commonly prescribed to manage high cholesterol in people up to age 75 and are known to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

But until now, it was unclear whether they were effective in older people.

New research from Monash University, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented concurrently at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2026, found that statin therapy decreased the risk of a first major cardiovascular event by 30% for independently living adults older than 70.

The Statins in Reducing Events in the Elderly (STAREE) Trial is the first randomized controlled trial of statin therapy to examine whether the drugs could help older people who have historically been overlooked in clinical trials.

This landmark 10-year trial analyzed the cardiovascular outcomes of nearly 10,000 participants while they took either a statin or a placebo.

Lead researcher Adjunct Professor Sophia Zoungas, from the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said the findings will change the way clinicians manage cardiovascular risk in older people.

“What we hope to see, now that we have provided such strong evidence, are updated treatment guidelines to help clinicians make use of this new finding,” Professor Zoungas said.

The global prevalence of cardiovascular disease is expected to almost double from 600 million in 2025 to more than 1 billion affected adults in 2050.

An estimated 21,000 older Australians experience major cardiovascular events, like heart attacks and strokes, each year.

The risk increases with age, so people older than 70 are automatically in a high-risk category regardless of lifestyle or other factors.

“The risk of heart attack and stroke is a major concern for older people,” Professor Zoungas said.

“Knowing there is a safe and effective measure for lowering that risk will be a huge reassurance to older people and their families.

“Anyone who has seen a loved one impacted by cardiovascular disease will know just how important prevention is.”

Co-author Professor Mark Nelson, a prominent general practitioner, adjunct professor at the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and research fellow at Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania, said this is critical evidence to support GPs in their decision-making around cardiovascular health in older people.

“This was a particularly important trial because it was conducted in the community, with more than 3,400 GPs taking part across Australia,” Professor Nelson said.

“In light of this new evidence, older patients should have a conversation with their GP about whether statins are an appropriate treatment for their cardiovascular health to help them remain fit and healthy.”

The STAREE trial is one of the largest cardiovascular disease prevention trials ever conducted in older people, placing Australia at the global forefront of healthy aging research.

“With the world’s population aging at an unprecedented rate, answering fundamental questions about healthy longevity has become a universal imperative,” Professor Zoungas said.

“STAREE stands as a benchmark for international clinical trials that can directly inform preventive care worldwide.”

Professor Derek Chew, chief scientific and medical officer at the National Heart Foundation of Australia, which contributed funding to the trial, welcomed the results.

“For several decades now, statins have played a major role in reducing cardiovascular events,” Professor Chew said. “This study shows that they can do so even when started much later in life.”

Who’s behind this story?

Andrew Zinin

Master’s in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X’s editorial success.

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