Another study finds statin therapy before cardiac surgery reduces mortality rates
TUESDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Administration of either aspirin or statin therapy prior to cardiac surgery appears to improve patient outcomes by reducing the risk of cardiocerebral complications and mortality rates, according to two studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, held from Oct. 16 to 20 in San Diego.
In a retrospective cohort study, Jian-Zhong Sun, M.D., of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, and colleagues divided 1,148 patients into two groups, including patients who were administered aspirin five days prior to surgery and those who were not administered the drug. The investigators found that, despite patients in the aspirin-treated group being older and presenting with other comorbidities, perioperative use of aspirin significantly reduced major adverse cardiocerebral events and renal failure in these patients.
In another observational prospective study, Tuula S. Kurki, M.D., of Helsinki University Hospital in Finland, and colleagues evaluated 1,034 elective coronary bypass patients, including 703 patients who received preoperative statin therapy and 331 patients who did not. The investigators found that the one-year mortality rate was 3.98 percent in patients who received statin therapy prior to surgery and 10.9 percent in those who did not receive statin therapy.
"While these findings support the idea that preoperative statin therapy may provide a long-term survival benefit for coronary bypass patients, it is important for patients to weigh the benefits and risks of statin therapy with their doctor to determine their best preoperative plan," Kurki said in a statement.
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