My children all need statins
WHEN her gran and mum died young from a condition that makes cholesterol rocket, Kim Hoare knew she faced an early death.
Kim had inherited familial hypercholesterolaemia, FH, which causes high cholesterol from birth – but she also learned she passed it on to her two children, Stan, 16, and Daisy, 13.
But all three now have hope for longer lives, thanks to statins.
Kim, 47, said: “I was six when I became aware Mum would die early. I knew she had a serious heart problem. I lost her three years later when she was 39. I’m the first woman in our family in three generations to live past 40.”
At least a quarter of a million Brits have FH, which increases the risk of heat disease.
Kim said: “My gran, Jeanne, also had it and died at 40. The only reason I’m probably alive today is because I’ve been prescribed statins, which lower cholesterol levels. And so have my children Stan and Daisy.”
Some seven million Brits take statins to protect against stroke and coronary heart disease. More than 1,000 under 16s are on them.
Kim said: “Without them, our whole family faces an uncertain future. With my mum there was no treatment, just anticoagulants to prevent blood clots. After she died I was put on a restricted diet – no dairy and just skimmed milk, which was powdered back then.
“When I was 16, I went off the It is essential for your body to work well but too much “bad cholesterol” can cause fatty deposits in your arteries. This can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Statins reduce the amount of bad cholesterol. If you have had a heart attack or stroke, you may be e advised to take statins. If you have peripheral arterial disease, they can help slow it. Diabetics s have a higher risk of heart disease so taking them can help.
If you are in good health, you may be prescribed statins if you have a strong family history of heart disease. A study suggested statins can help reduce your risk of stroke if you are over 65. rails a bit, eating whatever, drinking. When I hit 27 I started to worry. I’d go to the GP but felt they believed I was jumping on the cholesterol bandwagon.”
Kim and husband Nick, 49, a management consultant, had their first child, Stan, in 2001 – and that made her more anxious and determined to get help.
“I was put on a resin which was meant to bind cholesterol in the gut but it never really worked. Then I was finally put on statins.”
Kim, a full- time mum from Sheffield, faced an agonising wait to find out if her children had FH. Tests are not usually carried out until they reach ten.
She said: “Daisy was diagnosed at nine and Stan at 12. They both had high cholesterol levels of eight. Levels of blood cholesterol are measured in milimols per litre. The ideal is less than 5.2. My highest reading was nine. “I have no qualms about g giving statins to Stan and D Daisy. All three of us ta take a daily tablet which wi will keep us alive so much longer than had we lived 38 years ago, when my own mother died.
“We don’t live on lettuce leaves. We have a healthy diet but treat ourselves to the odd takeaway.” Now Daisy has a cholesterol reading of 5.5. Stan’s is 6.8. Kim said: “While his might be higher, Stan is very sporty and fit so I don’t worry too much.
“Without statins my children might not have a mother or the chance of a real future.”
The British Heart Foundation is funding £500m of research over the next five years, bhf.org.uk.