Statin use after acute myocardial infarction: a nationwide study in Denmark

AIMS: To study outpatient statin use after first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Denmark between 1995 and 2002 and to determine the predictors of statin use.

METHODS: This is a nationwide population-based study using administrative registries. Patients with first AMI between 1995 and 2002 older than 30 years of age and alive 6 months after discharge (n = 45 219) were identified through the National Patient Registry. The statins purchased by these patients within 6 months after discharge were determined using the Registry of Medicinal Product Statistics, a nationwide prescription database.

RESULTS: Statin use following AMI increased from 13% in 1995 to 61% in 2002. In 2002, 81% of patients aged 30-64 years used statins. Older patients used fewer statins, but use increased more among patients aged 75-84 years: from 1.3% to 43%. Use in elderly patients did not differ according to gender in 2000-02, but young men used more than younger women. In 2000-02, patients with diabetes (odds ratio (OR): 0.84; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74-0.95) and with heart failure (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.64-0.76) were undertreated; this trend was present throughout the period.

CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide study, younger patients after AMI had high statin use in 2002, but high-risk patients such as those with diabetes and heart failure were still being undertreated.