Statins double the risk of death in patients with coronary artery disease

This study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine 1993 Nov 15;119(10):969-76

Study title and authors:
Coronary angiographic changes with lovastatin therapy. The Monitored Atherosclerosis Regression Study (MARS).

Blankenhorn DH, Azen SP, Kramsch DM, Mack WJ, Cashin-Hemphill L, Hodis HN, DeBoer LW, Mahrer PR, Masteller MJ, Vailas LI, Alaupovic P, Hirsch LJ; MARS Research Group.
University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8214993

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessed the effects of lovastatin in patients with coronary artery disease. The trial included 270 patients, 37 to 67 years old who received either 80 mg/day of lovastatin, or placebo.

The study found that the patients receiving lovastatin had a 104% increased risk of death.