O7.2.4 Statins

Despite historic cohort studies suggesting a potential benefit of statins in COPD, a meta-analysis of eight randomised controlled trials including 1,323 predominantly male patients with COPD showed no change to mortality, exacerbation rates, lung function or quality of life with statin therapy compared to placebo [evidence level I] (Walsh 2019).  Several of the larger trials included in this meta-analysis excluded patients with a conventional indication for statin therapy.  Based on this data there is no evidence to prescribe statins in patients with COPD outside of conventional indications.