An accompanying article to the Kutner study highlighted the increasing focus placed on diminishing benefits and, in some cases, harms when used in patients with limited life expectancy. Statins are prescribed for only preventive purposes without symptomatic benefit to patients. As such based upon an estimated time until benefit of more than 2 years and depending on the indication and outcome, statins are generally not deemed useful in patients with limited life expectancy and considered futile at the end of life.
Article abstract: http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2204031 (3/2015)
