The randomised phase of the trial finished in 1997 and the results, published in 1998 in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that pravastatin significantly reduced the risk of death, myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular events.

Of the 7882 patients who completed the main trial, 7680 consented to be followed up, and 85% of these patients opted to take pravastatin (90% were taking pravastatin or another cholesterol-lowering drug).

Results of the first two years of follow-up (LIPID Cohort study) showed that the pravastatin therapy during the earlier years of the main trial continued to benefit patients.

The trial is now in its extended follow-up phase. The aim of the extended follow-up is to examine the long-term safety and cost-effectiveness of pravastatin treatment over at least 15 years.