Heart artery calcium and troponin to guide cholesterol treatment in older adults
Coronary Artery Calcium in the PRagmatic EValuation of evENTs And Benefits of Lipid lowering in the Elderly: CAC PREVENTABLE Ancillary Study
This project uses a heart artery calcium scan and a blood test for troponin to help figure out which people aged 75 and older will benefit most from taking a cholesterol-lowering medicine (atorvastatin) or might safely skip it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10917066 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will do a CT scan to measure calcium in your heart arteries and a blood test for high-sensitivity troponin at the start of the trial. These tests will be performed in about 10,000 participants drawn from a larger trial that randomly gives adults 75 and older either 40 mg of atorvastatin or a placebo. Over several years the study will track heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events and compare outcomes for people with different scan and blood-test results. The aim is to see whether these tests can identify older adults who clearly benefit from statins versus those with such low risk that statin therapy may not help.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 75 years and older who are eligible for the PREVENTABLE trial, generally without known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and able to have a CT scan and blood draw.
Not a fit: People younger than 75, those with established cardiovascular disease, or those unable to undergo CT scanning or blood draws are unlikely to be included or benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors personalize statin use in people 75 and older, avoiding unnecessary medication for low-risk patients and targeting treatment to those most likely to benefit.
How similar studies have performed: Previous observational studies show that coronary artery calcium and high-sensitivity troponin can predict heart risk, but randomized evidence in adults 75 and older is limited.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Daubert, Melissa — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Daubert, Melissa
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.