Statins increase the risk of delirium by 52% after cardiac operations

This study was published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery 2012 May;93(5):1439-47

Study title and authors:
Preoperative statin therapy is not associated with a decrease in the incidence of delirium after cardiac operations.

Mariscalco G, Cottini M, Zanobini M, Salis S, Dominici C, Banach M, Onorati F, Piffaretti G, Covaia G, Realini M, Beghi C.
Department of Surgical and Morphological Sciences, Cardiac Surgery Unit, Varese University Hospital, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy. giovannimariscalco@yahoo.it

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22541176

This study investigated the association between preoperative statins with the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The study included 1,577 patients receiving preoperative statins who were matched with a control group of 1,577 not receiving statins.

The study found patients receiving preoperative statins had a 52% increased risk of postoperative delirium compared to patients not taking statins.