Preoperative Statin Use Lowers Risk of Blood Clots Following Hip Arthroplasty: Study

A recent study published in recent issue of The Journal of Arthroplasty revealed that preoperative statin use is associated with a significantly reduced risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) within 90 days following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Despite advances in surgical techniques and postoperative care, VTE remains a major cause of complications for patients undergoing this procedure. 

This research analyzed data from a total of 1,154 patients between January 1, 2012, and June 1, 2023, to determine whether statin medications, commonly prescribed for cholesterol management, could lower the risk of VTE events after hip replacement surgery.

The patients included in the study used statins for at least 4 weeks prior to surgery. The study tracked outcomes like VTE events, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, reoperations, and mortality rates within 90 days post-surgery.

The results found only 0.43% of patients who used statins experienced a VTE event, when compared to 1.13% of non-statin users by marking a statistically significant reduction (P = 0.047). Also, there were no significant differences in the rates of PE, DVT, ED visits, readmissions, or reoperations between the statin and non-statin groups.

This study found no deaths in either group within the 90-day postoperative period which highlighted the overall success of THA procedures in managing patient outcomes. A subgroup analysis was conducted to assess the impact of statin intensity (high, medium, and low) on postoperative outcomes. However, the findings showed no significant differences in outcomes based on statin dosage levels. This suggests that any protective effect may not depend on the strength of the statin prescribed.

The study highlights the potential role of statins in reducing the risk of blood clots after hip replacement surgery. These findings provide valuable insights for surgeons and physicians to optimize preoperative care protocols for THA patients. Further studies are imperative to explore the full scope of statins’ benefits in surgical contexts. Overall, this study highlights the importance of integrating innovative strategies like preoperative statin use to improve patient safety and recovery outcomes.

Reference:

Lan, R., Vallurupalli, N., Aggarwal, V. K., Bosco, J. A., III, & Lajam, C. M. (2025). Statin use is associated with decreased venous thromboembolism events following total hip arthroplasty: A matched retrospective cohort study. The Journal of Arthroplasty. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2025.01.033