High-Potency Statins Linked to Risk of Acute Kidney Injury

Patients taking high-potency statins have an increased risk of acute kidney injury compared with those taking low-potency statins, according to a study conducted at the University of British Columbia.

Colin Dormuth, ScD, and colleagues, found that patients taking high-potency statins to treat high blood pressure were 34% more likely to be hospitalized for acute kidney injury (AKI) than those taking low-potency statins in a study of 2,067,639 patients treated with statins between January of 1997 and April of 2008.

Risk of AKI was especially great during the first 120 days after treatment with high-potency statins began.   

In patients with previously diagnosed chronic kidney disease, taking high-potency statins had no effect on the risk of AKI. 

The daily dosages with the greatest risk associated were 10 mg or more of rosuvastatin, 20 mg or more for atorvastatin, and 40 mg or more of simvastatin. 

"Given what is likely to be a small magnitude of incremental cardiovascular benefit of high-potency statins over low-potency statins in reality, a pressing question is how to identify patients for whom the risk-benefit balance for high-potency statin treatment is unfavorable," researchers concluded. 

–Michael Potts

 Reference

Dormuth C, Hemmelgarn B, Paterson J, et al.  Use of high potency statins and rates of admission for acute kidney injury: multicenter, retrospective observational analysis of administrative databases [Published online ahead of print March 19, 2013] BMJ 2013; 346 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f880