Should a Reduction in All-Cause Mortality Be the Goal When Assessing Preventive Medical Therapies?
Traditionally, innovations in cardiovascular medicine (including preventive therapies) have been assessed in terms of cause-specific morbidity and mortality. More recently, some have argued that such therapies should not be used unless they have been shown to reduce all-cause mortality. Here, we argue that such an approach is bad science and makes a mockery of evidence-based medicine. Cardiovascular therapeutics should aim to reduce mortality, but it is not necessary to demonstrate a reduction in all-cause