Discontinuing statins generally safe for older adults without heart disease

Research Highlights:

• In a study of almost 1,900 adults, ages 70 years and older who had other chronic health conditions but not cardiovascular disease, those who stopped taking cholesterol-lowering statins had similar rates of heart attack, stroke and death after two years when compared to peers who continued taking statins.
• There was an increase in the number of heart attacks and strokes among a small number of older adults who discontinued statins in an extended follow-up of up to four years, compared to peers who continued taking the medications.
• While discontinuing statin therapy for primary prevention is generally safe for adults ages 70 and older without cardiovascular disease, a slight increased risk for cardiovascular events over time reinforces the need for shared decision-making between patients and their healthcare team.
• Note: This trial is simultaneously published today as a full manuscript in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, The New England Journal of Medicine.

Embargoed until 3:15 p.m. CT/4:15 p.m. ET, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026

CHICAGO, Nov. 7, 2026 - It is generally safe for adults ages 70 and older who take statins to prevent cardiovascular disease but who have not had a heart attack or stroke to discontinue taking the cholesterol-lowering medications, according to new, independent, preliminary late-breaking science presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2026. The meeting on Nov. 6-9 in Chicago is a premier global exchange of the latest scientific advancements, research and evidence-based clinical practice updates in cardiovascular science.

About 25% of U.S. adults are estimated to have high low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), or "bad cholesterol," which can build up in the arteries, affecting blood flow and increasing the risk of heart attack and/or stroke. Statin therapy is the foundation of lipid-lowering and risk reduction, which includes primary prevention aimed at preventing a first heart attack or stroke, as detailed in the Association's 2026 joint guideline on dyslipidemia.

"While the Association's recent joint guideline recommends lifestyle and potentially medication for people with high LDL-C at younger ages to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, recent studies question the health benefits of continuing statins in the later decades of life," said study author Rita F. Redberg, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, professor of cardiology and the Araxe Vilensky Endowed Chair in Cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. "A few previous studies assessed the safety of discontinuing statins for primary prevention at age 70 and later, and they found no difference in mortality. One study suggested quality of life improvements after stopping statins. Whether it is safe to discontinue statins to prevent a first CVD event in the elderly remained unclear and the question we explored in our study."

This study included nearly 1,900 adults, ages 70 and older, who took statins to prevent a first cardiovascular event and had at least two chronic health conditions, such as past cancer or pulmonary disease. Half of the participants discontinued taking statins, while the other half continued taking them. The researchers monitored the participants during the next two years, and for up to four years, for heart attack, stroke or death. They also assessed quality of life, muscle pain, falls and muscle wasting (known as sarcopenia).

What are the study's key findings?

• At about two years, discontinuation of statins was safe, without a significant increase in heart attack, stroke or death, compared to those who continued the therapy.
• There were no differences between the groups when researchers assessed the study participants' quality of life, muscle pain, falls and sarcopenia.
• Statistically speaking, over the course of two years, for every 40 individuals in the group who discontinued statins, one additional cardiovascular event occurred among them.
• In a follow-up period of up to four years, 12.7% of those who discontinued statins had a heart attack, stroke or death, compared to 9.2% who continued the therapy.

Redberg noted the increased risk at four years among a small number of older adults was a new finding in scientific literature, one which she said could be because this trial had more people and a longer follow-up than previous studies.

"This small, increased risk of cardiovascular events means that one cannot make a general recommendation about stopping statins in this patient population," she said. "There should be shared decision-making between the patient and the healthcare professional to know if it is appropriate for an individual to discontinue the medication. In general, however, discontinuation is safe for most people who are in this age group and without a previous CVD event."

What are the study's details, background, design and limitations?

• The research included 1,880 total adults, age 70 and older (average age of 77; 53% men, and 47% women) with at least two chronic health conditions. People with existing cardiovascular disease or a prior cardiovascular event were excluded from the study.
• The study was conducted from November 2021 to April 2026, at 24 clinical centers in Switzerland, France and the Netherlands.
• Of the participants, 938 were assigned to the group to discontinue statins, and 942 of the participants continued taking their statin medications.
• Researchers collected data on heart attack, acute ischemic stroke and all-cause death. In addition, participants were surveyed throughout the study and during follow-up about quality of life, muscle pain, falls and sarcopenia.
• A limitation of the study was that there was crossover in both groups during the study period, meaning some people in the discontinuation group restarted their statins while some in the continuation group stopped them. Overall, about 14% of participants crossed over to the other group during the study. To account for this shift, the researchers conducted several additional analyses that yielded no change in the results.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Statements and conclusions of studies that are presented at the American Heart Association's scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association's policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. Abstracts presented at the Association's scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, rather, they are curated by independent review panels and are considered based on the potential to add to the diversity of scientific issues and views discussed at the meeting. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

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Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of the release link
• View the abstract in the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2026 Online Program Planner
• American Heart Association health information: Cholesterol-Lowering Medications
• American Heart Association health information: Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia)
• American Heart Association health initiative: Life's Essential 8™ - How to Control Cholesterol Fact Sheet
• About Scientific Sessions 2026
• For more news at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews, #ScientificSessions26

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