Risk is calculated with screening tools, such as the Framingham Risk Score, which predicts CVD risk based on traditional risk factors such as age, gender, smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol; or the Reynolds Risk Score which also considers hsCRP and parental history of premature heart disease.

The current study finds that although men and women in the 5 percent to 10 percent Framingham 10-year risk group get equal benefit from statin therapy, more women tend to be in the 5 percent to 10 percent risk group while men tend to be in the 11 to 20 percent group.

"The current U.S. recommendations label individuals with a greater than 20 percent 10-year Framingham risk as high risk and advise statin therapy for them. Statin treatment for individuals with Framingham risk under 20 percent has until now been less clear-cut."

These data also support the current position taken by the American Heart Association and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that hsCRP testing is best used in people with intermediate risk to help doctors in their treatment decisions. Statins are known to reduce levels of both cholesterol and hsCRP.  In addition, he said statin therapy is no substitute for a healthy diet, smoking cessation and exercise.

"This analysis of the JUPITER study provides important information indicating the groups of men and women who have high CRP and normal LDL-cholesterol that could benefit from statin treatment," said Pamela Ouyang, M.D., professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University and an American Heart Association volunteer. "The statin used in the JUPITER study was rosuvastatin at a dose of 20 mg. The degree of lowering in risk that would be obtained using lower doses or less potent statin therapy is not known."

SOURCE American Heart Association