Statins please share your experience/knowledge

lizzypopbottle

UK GPs get paid for meeting targets. That includes a target for prescribing statins. So it pays them to get as many people on statins as they can. There was a thread on this last year and two contributors buffyfly9 and Primrose53 both with GP practice management experience posted this. (I hope they don't mind me quoting them but the thread from last August/September is probably still here on GN. I'll search for it.)

In his book, Too Many Pills, Dr James Le Fanu doesn't say people shouldn't take statins. What he says is that it you are at risk from familial hypercholesterolaemia (I think that's how you spell it!) or have history of heart attack or stroke, statins may well save your life. He also says that, for healthy individuals who happen to be over 60 years old, statins are not worth the side effects, if you get the muscle aches, raised blood sugar, brain fog sometimes diagnosed as dementia etc. He quotes research projects (often financed by big pharma) and several case histories of older people on several different medications that may well react adversely with each other. He concludes that statins are not beneficial for healthy 'oldies' and not at all for women! It's an interesting read.

I see you're quoting a post which was directed at me about writing prescription fees. They don't.

They do get paid for meeting targets, but if a patient is offered statins and refuses, that patient can be excluded from the audit statistics.

This is what NICE say about using statins:

"Paul Chrisp, director of the Centre for Guidelines at NICE, said: ‘What we’re saying is that, for people with a less than 10% risk over 10 years of a first heart attack or stroke, the decision to take a statin should be left to individual patients after an informed discussion of benefits and risks.

‘The evidence is clear, in our view, that for people with a risk of 10% or less over 10 years, statins are an appropriate choice to reduce that risk.

‘We are not advocating that statins are used alone. The draft guideline continues to say that it is only if lifestyle changes on their own are not sufficient, and that other risk factors such as hypertension are also managed, that people who are still at risk can be offered the opportunity to use a statin, if they want to.

‘They don’t have to, and their decision should be informed by an understanding of the risks and tailored to their values and priorities.’

He added it would be the responsibility of GPs to explain the ways in which people can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, presenting all the options promoted by the draft guidance, including lifestyle changes, blood pressure control, avoidance of diabetes and cholesterol (lipid) lowering, and then letting patients to make their own decisions."

www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/clinical-areas/cardiovascular/gps-to-prescribe-statins-at-a-lower-risk-under-updated-draft-nice-guidance/

and not at all for women I find that strange lizzy.
According to the BHF 1 in 14 women will die from CHD.
Heart attack is the second biggest cause of death (both genders) in U.K. and twice as many women die from CHD than breast cancer, including those under 75!
One of the proven modifiable ways of reducing risk along with reducing blood pressure, is taking statins for raised cholesterol.

Farzanah he quotes research that suggests that taking statins doesn't reduce the risks of CHD in women. He doesn't say women are not at risk of CHD. I'll try to find the reference in the book.

Farzanah

^and not at all for women^ I find that strange lizzy.
According to the BHF 1 in 14 women will die from CHD.
Heart attack is the second biggest cause of death (both genders) in U.K. and twice as many women die from CHD than breast cancer, including those under 75!
One of the proven modifiable ways of reducing risk along with reducing blood pressure, is taking statins for raised cholesterol.

Exactly! I had a heart attack six years ago. I've been T2 diabetic half my life ... and I'm a woman!

I resisted taking statins until I had the heart attack because I'm not overweight, don't drink alcohol, don't smoke and eat healthily. I'd read the stuff from statins cynics and I guess i believed it. I thought I was fit and healthy and didn't need to stuff my body full of drugs. My cholesterol was slightly elevated, I kept my blood sugars reasonably within range with medication and diet, my blood pressure was fine and I thought I was invincible.

I've been taking statins for six years with no side effects.

This study is now a little out-of-date (2015) but the results haven't changed:

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2015-01-09-statin-treatment-reduces-risk-heart-disease-women#:~:text=The%20percentage%20risk%20reductions%20were,L%20reduction%20in%20LDL%20cholesterol.

Women do benefit from taking statins.

I have just stopped taking them and I have more energy, fewer aches and pains and less flatulence. I have just had a blood test and will see what comes out of that.

This thread caught my eye as I’ve just had a friend on the phone 68 frantic with worry. She had a text message from her surgery after having bloods taken on Monday to say could she make an urgent appointment to see the Dr.
When she rang she spoke with the nurse only to be told her cholesterol is very high 4.4 and she’ll need to start tablets immediately. I can’t understand it as my cholesterol last year was 5.7 the nurse left it up to me to decide if I wanted to start tablets I declined said I’d wait and see what this year brings.

why wasn't this lady advised to try to change her diet first instead of taking statins. does she have a history of heart disease....

pably15 Good question. No mention of dietary changes. I’m just wondering if my surgery has been a bit too relaxed with my cholesterol reading if 4.4 is considered too high now, her surgery said they really want a reading of about 2.
She has no heart disease or family history of heart disease. Normal BP and weight.

Katyj, have you read some of the posts on here by other members...I thought 4.4 was pretty low, but 2...?.any lower and there wont be any cholesterol....and every organ in you body needs it...I hope your friend has a chat with her gp before she makes up her mind..

growstuff I didn't write the book but, as I said, I found it an interesting read. He doesn't say there's a 'one size fits all' cause of/solution to coronary heart disease other than that the risk increases naturally with advancing age. He quotes the research that he has access to.

I hope you stay well.

I have taken them for 21 years and had no side effects at all.

lizzypopbottle

growstuff I didn't write the book but, as I said, I found it an interesting read. He doesn't say there's a 'one size fits all' cause of/solution to coronary heart disease other than that the risk increases naturally with advancing age. He quotes the research that he has access to.

I hope you stay well.

I haven't read the book either, but he seems to have missed all the research which comes to the conclusion that statins are worth taking, including by women.

pably15

Katyj, have you read some of the posts on here by other members...I thought 4.4 was pretty low, but 2...?.any lower and there wont be any cholesterol....and every organ in you body needs it...I hope your friend has a chat with her gp before she makes up her mind..

The recommended level for total non-HDL cholesterol is 4 (lower if somebody has already had a heart attack or stroke).

Maybe your friend was talking about her triglycerides - 2 is borderline high.

I had a blood test regularly as I have Haemochromatosis which can affect the liver
When the nurse was taking the blood she asked if I was on stating.i said no.and she said I won't bother doing the liver test then as it's not needed.
She seemed to forget I needed the liver test anyway and it was the only one I needed
My Dr was not pleased so it seems statins do affect your liver .as do lots of medications.but liver MUST be checked if on Statins

If people already have liver damage, they shouldn't take statins. You should have a liver test before starting them and every 12 months, according to the NHS.

I take them, and I have cirrhosis.
According to the gp, the gastroenterology consultant, and the pharmacist at my GPS, it's OK for me.

That's why I'm wary, because all info says not to take if you have liver issues.

Presumably you have liver function tests. If all three say the same thing, I would think they know what they're talking about.

growstuff will you look back at my post of yesterday at 14.10? I can't quote great tracts of his book for copyright reasons but his main premise is the danger of the plethora of medications that older people are often prescribed, including statins, and the drawbacks of individual drugs coupled with the interaction of some, hence the title, 'Too Many Pills'.

growstuff

Presumably you have liver function tests. If all three say the same thing, I would think they know what they're talking about.

I'd like to think so, but then I was assured it was "stress" for over a year.
I do have regular tests and blood tests now, though.

I wonder why the lower doses didn't work and you need more higher dose??

lizzypopbottle

growstuff will you look back at my post of yesterday at 14.10? I can't quote great tracts of his book for copyright reasons but his main premise is the danger of the plethora of medications that older people are often prescribed, including statins, and the drawbacks of individual drugs coupled with the interaction of some, hence the title, 'Too Many Pills'.

I know.

lizzypopbottle

growstuff will you look back at my post of yesterday at 14.10? I can't quote great tracts of his book for copyright reasons but his main premise is the danger of the plethora of medications that older people are often prescribed, including statins, and the drawbacks of individual drugs coupled with the interaction of some, hence the title, 'Too Many Pills'.

That's no reason to refuse or stop taking any prescribed medications, without a proper review and relevant tests.

Big Bertha, like you I have been contacted by the practice pharmacist, he advised me to take stations. My cholesterol level was 6.4. I agreed and have started on 20 mg a day. Only had four , so fingers crossed there will be no side effects.