Lipid-Lowering Medication and Risk of Injury

Bovbjerg, Viktor E.; Siscovick, David S.; Psaty, Bruce M.; McCann, Barbara S.; Koepsell, Thomas D.; Raghunathan, T.E.; Wagner, Edward H.

« Previous Next »Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume 52, Issue 12 , Pages 1197-1200, December 1999

Lipid-Lowering Medication and Risk of Injury

Viktor E. Bovbjerg
- Departments of Internal Medicine, Biostatistics, and Health Administration, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA USA
- Address correspondence to: Dr. V. E. Bovbjerg, Health Sciences Center, Box 600, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
David S. Siscovick
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
Bruce M. Psaty
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
- Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
Barbara S. McCann
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
Thomas D. Koepsell
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
- Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
T.E. Raghunathan
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
Edward H. Wagner
- Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
- Center for Health Studies, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Seattle, WA USA

Accepted 1 June 1999.

Abstract

Meta-analyses of early primary prevention trials of lipid-lowering therapies suggested increased risk of injury deaths among treated persons. Our population-based case-control study examined the association of lipid-lowering medication use with fatal and nonfatal injuries in 298 cases and 332 controls. No increased injury risk was observed among current (OR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.18–1.21) or past users (OR = .92, 95% CI 0.44–1.95), after adjustment for behavioral disorders, medical conditions, and health status. Stratified analyses did not reveal sub-groups at significantly increased risk. These results, consistent with recent clinical trials and meta-analyses, suggest no increased injury risk associated with lipid-lowering medications.

Keywords: Anticholesterolemic agents, cholesterol, lipoproteins, injury, coronary disease, case-control study