StAtins for Venous Event Reduction in patients with venous thromboembolism (The SAVER Trial)

Rosuvastatin belongs to a family of drugs called statins. They are prescribed for patients with elevated cholesterol levels and have been found to decrease the incidence of arterial events such as heart attack and stroke. It is possible that statins may also be useful for the prevention of blood clots in the veins and for prevention of complications in the legs following a blood clot. However, little research has been done to investigate this potential. In this trial, patients who have had a blood clot in the veins will be treated and evaluated in 2 groups: those who received rosuvastatin (20mg tablet per day) and those who received a placebo (a substance that has no therapeutic effect). We will compare the clinical outcomes in the two groups, specifically venous blood clots, arterial events such as heart attack and stroke, and long-term symptoms in the legs (post-thrombotic syndrome) to determine if there is a benefit to receiving rosuvastatin. We will also assess the safety of rosuvastatin in this group of patients and the rates of side effects that are reported.