Abstract P254: Willingness to Restart Statins: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study

Introduction: Many patients who discontinue statins due to side effects can restart treatment without the return of side effects. However, statin rechallenge is often met with resistance. Statins are associated with a larger absolute cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction among high risk individuals, but it is unclear whether individuals with higher CVD risk are more willing to be rechallenged. Methods: Between 2014 and 2016, 12,604 participants in theREasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study completed a study examination and a questionnaire about their experiences with statins. Of 6,947 participants who reported ever having taken a statin, this analysis included the 688 (9.9%) who reported having discontinued treatment due to side effects and who were not currently taking a statin. We asked participants whether they would be willing to restart a statin, and among those who answered no, we asked whether they were willing to restart at a lower dose or less frequently. Data from the...