More than half of patients on ­statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease may fail to achieve an optimal reduction in ­cholesterol within two years, research suggests.

In a UK prospective cohort study, University of Nottingham researchers analysed data from 165,000 patients in primary care, providing a ‘real world’ picture of optimal response to statins, which they defined as a 40% or more reduction in LDL cholesterol within 24 months of starting the drug.