French study finds stopping statins in low-risk adults over 75 does not raise mortality

A new French non-inferiority study published in Lancet Healthy Longevity examined whether discontinuing statin therapy in people older than 75 who have no prior cardiovascular disease would affect survival.

The researchers found that stopping the medication did not lead to an increase in deaths compared with continuing treatment, suggesting that for low-risk seniors the drugs may be safely withdrawn.

The authors caution that the findings do not constitute a recommendation to cease statins universally; patients should discuss any changes with their physicians and the results need replication in larger, more diverse populations.

The study adds to limited evidence on polypharmacy in the elderly and highlights that the link between cholesterol levels and cardiovascular events may weaken with age.