Approved Research

Risk scoring system development of statin adverse events and resistance using clinical and genetic factors for individualized pharmaceutical care service

Lay summary

Statins are drugs commonly used to manage cholesterol levels and prevent strokes. Researchers have conducted significant studies to explore the benefits of statins in preventing primary and secondary strokes. However, we still don't fully understand the reason behind the variability in therapy outcome and adverse events among individuals.

Previous studies have indicated that genetic mutations are associated with an increased risk of adverse events. For example, the STRENGTH study found that individuals with mutation in the SLCO1B1 gene were 1.7 times more likely to experience muscle-related issues (e.g., muscle pain). This suggests that genetic differences can explain the variability in responses observed among patients.

The American College of Clinical Pharmacy has emphasized that the importance of using genetic information to personalize drug therapy. However, many previous studies focused on muscle-related symptoms caused by statins and had relatively small sample sizes. Additionally, while we can assess the bleeding risk associated with blood thinners using a tool like the HAS-BLED score, there is currently no similar system available to determine the suitability of statins for the patient.

Our aim was to understand how both clinical and genetic factors influence the efficacy (prevention of heart events or strokes) and safety (muscle-related symptoms, liver/kidney issues and diabetes) of statin therapy using a large group of patients. This project is expected to take about 3 years. By developing a risk-scoring system, we would be able to predict how each patient will respond to statins, thereby improving the outcomes of statin treatment.