A prospective study of pravastatin in the elderly at risk (PROSPER): Screening experience and baseline characteristics

Ford, I. et al. (2002) A prospective study of pravastatin in the elderly at risk (PROSPER): Screening experience and baseline characteristics. Current Controlled Trials in Cardiovascular Medicine, 3, p. 8. (doi: 10.1186/1468-6708-3-8)

Abstract

Background: PROSPER was designed to investigate the benefits of treatment with pravastatin in elderly patients for whom a typical doctor might consider the prescription of statin therapy to be a realistic option. Methods: The PROspective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER) is a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial to test the hypothesis that treatment with pravastatin (40 mg/day) will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and fatal or non-fatal stroke in elderly men and women with pre-existing vascular disease or with significant risk of developing this condition. Results: In Scotland, Ireland, and the Netherlands, 23, 770 individuals were screened, and 5, 804 subjects (2,804 men and 3,000 women), aged 70 to 82 years (average 75 years) and with baseline cholesterol 4.0-9.0 mmol/l, were randomised. Randomised subjects had similar distributions with respect to age, blood pressure, and body mass index when compared to the entire group of screenees, but had a higher prevalence of smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and a history of vascular disease. The average total cholesterol level at baseline was 5.4 mmol/l (men) and 6.0 mmol/l (women). Conclusions: Compared with previous prevention trials of cholesterol-lowering drugs, the PROSPER cohort is significantly older and for the first time includes a majority of women. The study, having achieved its initial goal of recruiting more than 5,500 elderly high-risk men and women, aims to complete all final subject follow-up visits in the first half of 2002 with the main results being available in the fourth quarter of 2002.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Macfarlane, Professor Peter and Norrie, Prof John and Stott J, Professor David and Ford, Professor Ian and Shepherd, Prof James and Gaw, Dr Allan and Packard, Professor Chris and Cobbe, Professor Stuart
• Authors: Ford, I., Blauw, G., Murphy, M., Shepherd, J., Cobbe, S., Bollen, E., Buckley, B., Jukema, J., Hyland, M., Gaw, A., Lagaay, A., Perry, I., Macfarlane, P., Norrie, J., Meinders, A., Sweeney, B., Packard, C., Westendorp, R., Twomey, C., and Stott, D.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Robertson Centre; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health; ?? 20206000 ??
• Journal Name: Current Controlled Trials in Cardiovascular Medicine
• ISSN: 1468-6694