Twenty-Year Nationwide Trends in Statin Utilization and Expenditure in Denmark

During the past 20 years, numerous large randomized controlled trials have documented the efficacy and safety of statin therapy for both primary and secondary preventions of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. 1 Accordingly, statin therapy constitutes the cornerstone of pharmacological prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in all major international cholesterol guidelines. (2,3) Statins are among the top-selling medications in both Europe and the United States, and the market for statin therapy is expected to grow as the population continues to age. In recent years, most statins have become available in generic versions with potentially great implications for their overall use and the associated costs to the healthcare system. Such information could provide important insights for European policy makers on healthcare value and future potential for improving cost-effectiveness of statin use. However, few previous studies have investigated national trends in statin use and costs, and none in a European country endorsing the guidelines issued by the European Society of Cardiology. We, therefore, examined nationwide 20-year trends in statin utilization and expenditure in Denmark.