A randomized clinical trial suggests some adults aged 70 and older may stop taking statins with little added risk over two years, but its broader results raise concerns about safety over a longer period. The findings do not support a general recommendation for older patients to discontinue treatment.

The trial was presented on Nov. 7, 2026, at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers from the University of Bern, the University of California, San Francisco, and other institutions conducted the study.

Statins are prescription medications that reduce how much cholesterol the liver makes, lowering LDL, commonly called bad cholesterol. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the medications are known to help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The study included 1,880 adults aged 70 and older who were taking statins to prevent a first heart attack or stroke. Every participant had at least two chronic medical conditions, but none had established cardiovascular disease or a previous cardiovascular event.

Researchers assigned half of the participants to stop taking statins, while the other half continued treatment. After two years, the additional risk associated with stopping was small enough to remain within the limits established by researchers for the trial.

That result did not mean discontinuing statins carried no additional danger. Across the full follow up period, about 13% of participants assigned to stop had a heart attack, experienced an ischemic stroke or died from any cause, compared with 9% assigned to continue treatment.

The typical participant was followed for about two years, although some remained in the study for as long as four years. Researchers found no meaningful differences between the groups in reported quality of life, muscle pain, falls, or loss of muscle mass and strength.

Dr. Christopher Kelly, a UNC Health cardiologist who was not involved in the research, highlighted those findings. He emphasized that participants who continued taking statins did not report worse muscle pain or quality of life during the trial.

Study author Dr. Rita F. Redberg, a cardiology professor at the University of California, San Francisco, said guidelines support lowering high cholesterol earlier in life. However, she said the benefits of continuing statins at an older age remain less certain.

“This small, increased risk of cardiovascular events means that one cannot make a general recommendation about stopping statins in this patient population,” Redberg said. Earlier studies found no difference in mortality after adults aged 70 and older stopped statins used for primary prevention, she noted.

Redberg also said one earlier study suggested that stopping statins could improve quality of life. Her team examined whether discontinuing the medications was safe for older adults who were using them to prevent a first cardiovascular event.

The trial had several limitations, including treatment changes among participants. About 14% did not follow their assigned plan, with some participants restarting statins after being told to stop and some in the continuing group discontinuing the medication.

The results also may not apply to every older adult. Participants were aged 70 and older, had multiple chronic health conditions, and had no history of heart disease or stroke, limiting the population to which the findings directly apply.

Although some participants were tracked for up to four years, the study primarily assessed outcomes over about two years. Researchers said longer follow up is necessary to determine how discontinuing statins affects patients across many years.

Redberg called for shared decisions between patients and healthcare professionals when considering whether to discontinue treatment. Kelly similarly emphasized individual decisions based on a patient’s overall health and expected lifespan, noting that a healthy person aged 70 could live another 20 years.

Kelly said he “errs on the side of caution” with his own patients. He typically recommends continuing statins unless a patient has specific concerns, such as side effects, or takes many medications and is particularly eager to discontinue one.