The results from comparative trial were presented at the Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association.
All 8,888 patients enrolled in the trial had a prior heart attack, and 2,546 of them experienced at least one additional cardiovascular event after entering the trial. A new post-hoc analysis (planned after study closed) reported that 1,048 patients had a second cardiovascular event during the course of the trial. In those patients treated with Lipitor, there was a significant 24% reduction in relative risk of having that second event than those treated with simvastatin.
The analysis also found that 416 patients had a third event during the course of the trial. In those patients treated with Lipitor there was a significant 19% reduction in relative risk of having that third event compared to simvastatin. The overall results of this analysis are even more robust in patients who were more adherent to treatment.