1. The Research Question Does Cardiovascular Risk Predict Statin Use?
Michael Johansen MD MS, Ohio State University, Lee Green MD MPH, Ananda Sen PhD, Sheetal Kircher MD MS, Caroline Richardson MD MS. 
Cardiovascular Risk and Statin Use in the United States. Ann Fam Med. (In Press)
The Question: Does cardiovascular risk predict statin use?
Why this is important?
Statins are highly efficacious in reducing death in individuals with high cardiovascular risk
BP34 Adherence to Antibiotic Prescribing for LRTI and Association With Recovery (Oral Presentation On Completed Research) Nick Francis, MD, PhD, Cardiff University; David Gillespie; Jacqueline Nuttall; Paul Little; Theo Verheij; Samuel Coenen; Jochen Cals; Kerenza Hood; Herman Goossens; Christopher Butler

2. What the Researchers Did
Adults between 30-79
Cross-sectional study utilizing the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).
Basic Method/Intervention
Determine the proportion of individuals who were on a statin (2 or more prescriptions in a year)
Stratify by risk profiles
Determine clinical conditions associated with use.
aged ≥18 years, consulting with an illness where an acute or worsened cough was the main or dominant symptom, or had a clinical presentation that suggested a lower respiratory tract infection that had been present for ≥28 days.

3. What the Researchers Found
58% of individuals with reported coronary artery disease and 52% of individuals with diabetes over age 40 reported statin use.
Hyperlipidemia, not cardiovascular risk, is most strongly associated with statin users.

4. What This Means for Clinical Practice
There are large numbers of individuals with coronary artery disease and/or diabetes that benefit from statins who are not taking them.
Getting more high-risk people on statins will save lives.
Refocus statin use from being a cholesterol lowering medication to one that reduces cardiovascular events and mortality.