Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the developed world in both men and women. Elevated
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (
LDL-C) levels are strong and independent vascular risk factors in both genders.
Statins effectively decrease
LDL-C levels, reduce vascular morbidity and mortality and are an essential component of CHD preventive strategies. However, women are less likely to be prescribed
statins than men in both primary and
secondary prevention settings. It was argued that there is no conclusive evidence showing that
statins are beneficial for the prevention of
vascular disease in women, particularly in those without established CHD. This review summarizes the evidence regarding the effects of
statins in the prevention of CHD in women. Accumulating data suggest that
statins are equally effective in both men and women. The lack of significant effects in some studies appears to be primarily due to the under-representation of women and the ensuing lack of statistical power. Current guidelines for the prevention of
vascular disease also recommend a similar management of
dyslipidemia in both men and women. Therefore,
statin treatment should be implemented with the same criteria and with the same goals in both genders.