A group of cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins, are not an effective therapy for reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia mortality rates, according to an article in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers investigated the use of statins to decrease 28-day mortality among VAP patients. The therapy had initially shown promising results in other studies.
After measuring 28-day, 14-day, intensive care unit and hospital mortality rates between a VAP group receiving statins and a VAP group receiving a placebo, researchers concluded there were no statistically significant differences in survival, and statins were no more effective than a placebo in improving any of the measured mortality rates.
More Articles on Quality:
Blame Game Keeps Healthcare Workers Stuck in Hand Hygiene Compliance Slump
Preventing Needless Hospital Deaths: Q&A With Dr. Ira Williams, Author of "Find the Black Box"
Compounding Pharmacy Meningitis Outbreak Caused 61 Deaths, 749 Infections, Study Says