The West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study: a trial of cholesterol reduction in Scottish men.

The West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study is a primary prevention trial designed to test the hypothesis that reduction of serum cholesterol with pravastatin (a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor) over an average of 5 years will reduce the incidence of fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction. At entry, 6,595 men aged 45-64 years were randomized to treatment with either pravastatin (40 mg/day) or placebo. None of the men at entry had evidence of previous myocardial infarction. All were given smoking and dietary advice throughout the study, which will terminate in 1995. The principal endpoints are: (1) death due to coronary artery disease (CAD) plus nonfatal myocardial infarction; (2) death due to CAD; and (3) nonfatal myocardial infarction.