6m more should be on statins
SIX million more people should be taking statins, according to a study.
Researchers said giving the cholesterol-busters to other eligible groups could prevent 280,000 heart attacks and strokes in the next decade.
They claim 37% of 30 to 84-yearolds should take the drugs and almost all men over 60 and women over 75.
The team, led by Peter Ueda of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said a total of 11.8 million English adults should be eligible – against six million current users. The findings came after a probe of guidance set by NICE in 2014. Prof Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “Patients should only take medication if they need to. Many don’t want statins once they have learned all the facts.” But consultant cardiologist Dr Tim Chico added: “In my view the guidelines were simply a sensible suggestion about when to talk to patients about the pros and cons of statins.”