THE STAREE STRATEGY

25 Mar 2017

Professor Sophia Zoungas and her team at Monash University are conducting a world-first clinical trial on STAtins in Reducing Events in the Elderly (STAREE). Statins are often prescribed by doctors to help lower cholesterol levels in the blood.

The community-based trial will recruit participants across Australia and hopes to provide an independent answer to one of the key questions confronting general practitioners on a daily basis, “Should statins be prescribed to older people without a history of cardiovascular disease to prevent disease and disability?”

STAREE will find out if:

●        Statins can improve healthy life expectancy.

●        Statins can prevent a first heart attack or stroke.

●        Statins impact on day-to-day physical function.

●        Adverse reactions to statins are more frequent or severe in older people.

●        Statins increase the risk of developing diabetes.

●        Statins can prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

●        Statin therapy is cost effective in healthy elderly people.

All information will help older Australians live healthy lives.