Dyslipidemia in Hypertension: Importance of Statins for Primary Prevention

• High blood pressure (BP) is the most important cause of global mortality and morbidity.

• Management of hypertension should move away from the “number-based” approach to “risk-based” therapy.

• Raised LDL-C is the most important CVD/CAD risk factor and contributes to “residual risk” in BP management.

• Large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and metaanalyses have reported that the addition of statin to BP-lowering medicines significantly reduces CV risk and events (additional benefit reduction of 15-30%).

• Polypill RCTs have also reported a significant lowering of CV risk in uncomplicated hypertension.

• Hypertension guidelines should recommend the addition of statins to usual care in moderate and high uncomplicated hypertension.