The STAREE-HEART sub-study will examine the effect of statin treatment over a 3-year period compared with placebo on markers of cardiac ageing (myocardial dysfunction). This will include determining global longitudinal strain with transthoracic echocardiography, atrial fibrillation with home measures twice daily for two weeks and changes in biomarkers.

STAREE-HEART is an ancillary study nested in the Statins in Reducing Events in the Elderly (STAREE) double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial. STAREE is investigating whether statins can prolong good health and maintain independence amongst older people and is enrolling men and women 70 years of age and over who are free from cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia. STAREE-HEART will recruit a subset of STAREE participants before they are randomised to STAREE study drug. STAREE-HEART will involve an additional suite of cardiac assessments in these participants and will provide detailed information about the clinical effect of statins on myocardial function.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men and women aged ≥70 years living independently in the community who are participants in the STAREE RCT and eligible for randomisation to study medication.
• Willing and able to provide informed consent and accept the STAREE-HEART study requirements, including attendance for an echocardiogram and undertaking home monitoring via ECG.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.
• Participants who do not wish to be informed of an abnormality under any circumstances, regardless of severity, will not be enrolled in the study.

On completion of the trial, and after publication of the primary and secondary outcomes of the study, requests for access to de-identified data (to be provided through a secure online environment) may be submitted to the researchers located at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia