Stopping Statins Linked to Higher Heart Risk
A randomized trial of adults aged 70 and older found a small increase in cardiovascular events over two years among those who stopped statins.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Heart Disease
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A randomized clinical trial of 1,880 adults aged 70 and older found that about 13% of those who stopped taking statins had a heart attack, an ischemic stroke, or died from any cause, compared with 9% who continued treatment. The trial was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago on November 7, 2026, and published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Why it matters
Guidelines support lowering high cholesterol earlier in life, but the benefits of continuing statins in older age are less certain, making this trial a key data point for older patients and their clinicians. The study's safety monitoring board recommended that participants who stopped statins discuss restarting treatment with their healthcare team.
The randomized trial enrolled 1,880 adults aged 70 and older, all with at least two chronic conditions and no established cardiovascular disease, and followed them for about two years (up to four for some). About 14% of participants did not stick with their assigned treatment plan, and longer follow-up is needed to show the effects over many years.
The players
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a leading U.S. nonprofit organization focused on cardiovascular research, prevention, and public health education, and it hosts the annual Scientific Sessions where major cardiovascular studies are presented.
The New England Journal of Medicine
The New England Journal of Medicine is one of the most widely read and influential peer-reviewed medical journals in the world, known for publishing major clinical trial results.
University of Bern
The University of Bern is a public research university in Switzerland whose researchers led this trial.
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is a public research university and academic medical center in California, whose researchers contributed to this study.
The details
Participants already taking statins to prevent a first heart attack or stroke were randomly assigned to either stop or continue the medication. The study found no meaningful differences between groups in quality of life, muscle pain, falls, or loss of muscle mass and strength.
Timeline
November 7, 2026: Trial presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago.
Health Landscape
Current statin guidelines emphasize lowering cholesterol early in life, while evidence on continuing statins past age 70 has been limited. This trial adds a randomized data point to a question that large observational studies have struggled to answer definitively.
Older adults on statins should not stop without talking to their healthcare team, since the trial's safety board recommended discussing restarting treatment. Decisions about continuing medication should weigh individual cardiovascular risk and tolerance.
The takeaway
Older adults considering stopping statins should review their individual heart risk with a clinician before making any change, since the trial links stopping to a modestly higher rate of cardiovascular events.
Further reading
Explore more on Heart Disease to see how cholesterol treatment decisions shape long-term cardiovascular risk.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fox News.
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