The cost of atorvastatin is about $100/year. The value of avoiding a cardiac event might be in the millions of dollars, so 25% reduction of a 3% risk sounds like a good deal.
This analysis ignores the issue of negative side effects. The most serious, rhabdomyolysis, occurs in about 0.1% of those taking statins. Liver issues are more common, and the cost of monitoring that might affect the cost/benefit ratio.
It would be nice to have a next generation statin that didn't have the muscle side effect (which appears to be independent of the primary mode of action of statins.)
The cost of atorvastatin is about $100/year. The value of avoiding a cardiac event might be in the millions of dollars, so 25% reduction of a 3% risk sounds like a good deal.
This analysis ignores the issue of negative side effects. The most serious, rhabdomyolysis, occurs in about 0.1% of those taking statins. Liver issues are more common, and the cost of monitoring that might affect the cost/benefit ratio.
It would be nice to have a next generation statin that didn't have the muscle side effect (which appears to be independent of the primary mode of action of statins.)