- Statins should be offered to two and a half million patients says watchdog
- NICE is recommending that GPs offer statins to all adults with kidney disease
- Many doctors and patients remain concerned about their side effects
Sophie Borland Health Editor For The Daily Mail
88
View
comments
Statins should be offered to an extra two and a half million patients with chronic kidney disease, according to the health watchdog.
The guidelines mean some 20 million adults in England – almost half the population – are now eligible to take the cholesterol lowering pills.
Patients with chronic kidney disease are at a much higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke as the condition leads to the accumulation of fatty deposits in arteries.
Statins should be offered to an extra two and a half million patients with chronic kidney disease, according to the health watchdog
Approximately 2.6 million adults in England have chronic kidney disease and it is more common in the elderly and amongst black and Asian ethnic groups.
The condition leads to 60,000 deaths a year and many are due to heart disease which includes heart attacks and strokes.
The health watchdog NICE is recommending that GPs offer statins to all adults with kidney disease on the basis that they are safe and clinically effective.
-
How patients who stop taking statins because of the…
Leading cardiologist blames ‘internet driven cult’ for…
The guidance comes amid a long-running debate over whether the benefits of the pills outweigh their long term harms.
Many doctors and patients remain concerned about their side effects which include muscular aches, diabetes, memory loss and damage.
But academics claim the pills are preventing 80,000 heart attacks and strokes a year and say many others would be avoided if they were prescribed more widely.
Approximately 6 million adults in England are currently taking the pill although 17.5 million are eligible, excluding patients with kidney disease.
Patients with chronic kidney disease are at a much higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke as the condition leads to the accumulation of fatty deposits in arteries (File photo)
Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive at Nice, said: ‘We know that a high number of people with long-term kidney problems will develop cardiovascular disease. This means they have an increased risk of suffering a fatal heart attack or stroke.
‘It is important for healthcare professionals to speak to patients about their treatment options. The effectiveness of statins is now well proven, as is their long term safety. They may appeal to a lot of people who are at risk.’
The guidelines recommend patients take a 20mg daily dose of atorvastatin, one of the most commonly prescribed statins.
Earlier this week Harvard researchers urged patients to continue taking their statins despite the side effects as they were so beneficial.
The review of 28,000 patients found the pills lowered the risk of death by 20 per cent.
It also found that 30 per cent of patients who suffered side effects abandoned them.
There is also growing evidence that statins help fight cancer by stopping tumour cells dividing and boosting the body’s immune system.
Research in June found that women taking statins were 40 per cent less likely to die from breast cancer.
Share or comment on this article
-
Will robots DESTROY us? As the founders of Facebook and… -
Drink driver is brought to justice by 12-year-old cycling… -
Solved, the riddle of starlings’ aerial ballet: Birds use… -
The unsung heroes of Dunkirk: From the VC winner to the… -
BBC accused of having ‘something to hide’ after refusing… -
Salt and vinegaaaah! Scientists create crisps made from… -
‘Sponge Bob showed me’: Boy, five, brushes his EYES with… -
More than one million air passengers are missing out on… -
Dear experts, you’ve got the wrong dinosaur! Boy, 10,… -
Female BBC stars could claim MILLIONS of pounds of… -
Overwhelmed by migrants and abandoned by the EU, SUE REID… -
Former British soldier who travelled to Syria to fight… -
Old Etonian banker’s son, 19, who rows for Oxford… -
Millions of households should get a cash refund on their… -
Shish! Newcastle Airport opens KEBAB SHOP meaning… -
Ministers vow to cut motorway speed limit to 60mph in bid… -
It’s a no from me! Audience claps as talent show host… -
Convicted murderer serving a life sentence for killing an…
Comments 88
Share what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Close
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual.
Close
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual
We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.
You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.