Flu deaths drop with statin users

William Atkins
Sunday, 01 November 2009 17:56

Science - Health

A U.S. study has shown that taking statin drugs gives people a 50% less chance of dying from the flu. The drugs, which lower cholesterol, are thought by the researchers to help the body resist infections in the body.


According to the October 29, 2009 Reuters article Statin drugs may lower deaths from flu: study, one of the authors of the study, Meredith Vandermeer, reported on Thursday, October 29 ,2009, at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America (ISDA).

The meeting was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., between October 29 to November 1, 2009.

Dr. Vandermeer, a influenza surveillance epidemiologist from the Emerging Infections Program at Oregon’s Public Health Division (Portland), stated, "Our preliminary study shows these cholesterol-lowering medications called statins are associated with a decrease in mortality.” [Reuters]

Vandermeer’s report at the meeting was entitled “Role of Statins in Preventing Death Among Patients Hospitalized With Lab Confirmed Influenza Infections.” (Abstract 706)

She added, “This early research suggests there may be a role for statins in influenza treatment and it should be studied further."

The preliminary study performed by the researchers involved analyzing the records of 2,800 people, from ten of the fifty U.S. states, who were taken to the hospital for the flu (influenza) during the time period of 2007-2008.

Page two continues with details of the study.