Description: Med Headlines - A Swedish study released this week questions the effectiveness of statin therapy for older patients who have heart failure. According to the study, rosuvastatin (Crestor) did not significantly improve the combined rate of cardiovascular death and nonfatal MI in heart failure patients. The study, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, did little to sway the opinions of many physicians who still believe in the merits of the drug for older heart patients.

“Given the clinical evidence in other populations and the uncertainty of the reason for the lack of benefit in heart failure patients, clinicians should continue to prescribe statins for patients with ischemic heart failure and left ventricular dystolic dysfunction.” noted Dr. Frederick A. Masoudi, of the University of Colorado at Denver.

The study included 5,011 patients ages 60 and older with chronic symptomatic systolic heart failure who were not already on a statin. Participants were