Discontinuation of statin therapy in older people: does a cancer diagnosis make a difference? An observational cohort study using data linkage.

ABSTRACT: The aim was to examine statin discontinuation rates in a cohort of elderly Australians with newly diagnosed cancer using population-based secondary health data. Observational cohort study. New South Wales, the largest jurisdiction in Australia. The Pharmaceutical Benefits and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Schemes are national programmes subsidising prescription drugs to the Australian population and Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs clients. The cohort comprised 1731 cancer patients aged ≥65 years with evidence of statin use in the 90 days prior to diagnosis. They were matched to 3462 non-cancer patients prescribed statins in the same period. The authors compared statin discontinuation rates up to 4 years post-diagnosis and examined the factors associated with st

SUBMITTER: Stavrou EP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3358623 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature