Cholesterol and recurrent events trial

The CARE trial was a study of the use of pravastatin for the secondary prevention of coronary events.

Patients:

• 4000 patients aged 21-75 years with a past history of myocardial infarction and a plasma total cholesterol below 6.2 mmol/l

Trial design:

• patients randomised to placebo or pravastatin 40 mg per day for 5 years

Results:

• pravastatin reduced mean plasma cholesterol concentration by 20%
• LDL cholesterol was reduced by 28%
• the risk of either death from CHD or non-fatal myocardial infarction was reduced by 24% in the pravastatin group
• the pravastatin group showed a 31% reduction in risk of stroke and a 27% reduction in need for either coronary artery bypass grafting or coronary angioplasty
• this trial revealed survival benefit gains for a total cholesterol of 4.8 mmol/l or below

Reference:

• Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (1996), 34 (12), 89-93.