OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe real-world patterns of statin use in England.

METHODS: Patients in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked to Hospital Episode Statistics aged ≥18 years with a first-time statin prescription between 01/03/2008-31/03/2014, with ≥2 years of medical history and ≥12 months plus 90 days of available follow-up, were included. Treatment patterns assessed at 12 months after statin initiation included: persistence (no gap >90 days between subsequent statin prescriptions), discontinuation (absence of a prescription within 90 days following a prescription supply end), restart (subsequent statin prescription after discontinuation). Initial statin dose, upward and down-titration were also assessed. Results were stratified by history of atherosclerotic disease, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: Around two-thirds of incident statin users in this real-world study in England stayed persistent on treatment at one year after initiation, and around one-third of those who discontinued restarted. Although this was a descriptive analysis, patients treated for secondary prevention appeared more likely to persist on treatment compared to patients treated for primary prevention.