According to a new Aortic Stensis (SEAS) study, the lipid-lowering drug combination of simvastatin and ezetimibe do not work in reducing new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) for patients that have asymptomatic aortic stenosis.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Casper N. Bang from Denmark, has expressed his surprise at this by stating in an email to Reuters, “Forty milligrams of simvastatin did not lower the incidence of new onset AF; however, this dosage might have been too low.”

Even though both American and European guidelines have suggested that statins may be able to prevent AF, the studies published on the subject been giving conflicting results. Dr. Bang and his team conducted their research by examining how 40 mg of simvastatin and 10 mg of ezetimibe affected the 1,421 participating patients — all of whom had asymptomatic aortic stenosis. The results of the study were published in the American Heart Journal. The study showed that “new-onset AF developed in 44 patients in the treatment group and 41 patients in the placebo group (for statistically similar rates of 14.2 vs 13.7/1000 person-years). There was also no difference in median time to new-onset AF with treatment vs placebo (1566 vs 1578 days).”

When it came down to the multivariable risk calculations, the lipid combo drugs didn’t do anything with regards to lowering the number of cases of new-onset AF. However, the multivariable prediction models did show that there was a 7 percent higher risk of patients developing AF annually, and a 1.8 percent higher chance of developing a AF in g/m2 of left ventricular mass index. The study also showed that new-onset AF was linked to a 65 percent increased chance of patients suffering from aortic stenosis-related events.

AF is a condition that causes patients to experience an irregular heartbeat that includes a fluttering. The condition is treated with various medication, which include the anticoagulant Multaq. Multaq has been proven to be extremely dangerous. When taking Multaq, patients often develop liver failure and a worsening of their heart conditions, which is why the drug is no longer being prescribed unless all other medications prove useless.

If you or a loved one have developed liver failure or a worsening of your heart condition after using Multaq, contact attorney Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced at fighting Multaq lawsuits and may be able to help you recover money for your injuries.