Reluctant to start a statin…

I was resistant to statins until I got angina. I had angioplasty six weeks ago (a stent to unblock a coronary artery) and now I've got to take a statin every day. I'll be 81 in about 10 days by the way.

Primrose53

GPs are paid to hit targets and those are often reached using medications. These targets are rewarded with QOF points.
Targets =points, points= money.
Points are worth about £230 each.
GP practices can make around £150,000 per practice.

It’s not just statins by the way.

Not true, GPs get paid for doing health checks, never for prescribing. This information is freely available on the internet if you look at reliable sources.

No one wants to have a heart attack or stroke, but I honestly wonder what we all think we will eventually die of?

Just old age?

DrWatson

For the OP -- this type of "oooohhhh, Statins, they're awful" rumour seems prevalent amongst quite a subset of folk who should know better -- pay no attention.

The comment from EazyBee is spot-on, reinforced by other comments.

A huge chunk of the more mature population take an assortment of daily meds, and Statins have been high on the list for years. I started some 25 years ago, Simvastatin, and have since been placed on Atorvastatin (& there are quite a few more). The doses vary (minimum for me), and though there can be some side-effects, as you get started, just make a note and report whatever they may be. It's easy enough to switch types and doses.
.
The Quack doesn't prescribe them as an alternative to Smarties, and they have quite a few benefits, lowing Cholesterol especially. Anyone telling you to avoid them can be asked to show you their Medical qualifications, so you can compare where they studied to the actual Doctor?

BEWARE of comments that read like "A bit of research reveals" as that "research" might well be some FBook mumbo-jumbo posted by a hypochondriac with severe bee in the bonnet issues?!

Another one referred to side effects of "Confusion, memory loss, aching joints and muscles." . . . .if you went on a coach tour for the more ancient tourists and did a survey, I'm pretty sure that almost everyone would say they had that lot, irrespective of their pills?!

If YOU do have some side effects, as I said, make a note, and report them back. If you read the side-effects that have been reported for say, aspirin or ibufopren, etc (read the leaflet in the packet) nobody would ever take them!

Referring to your penultimate paragraph - you obviously mean me. My father was prescribed statins aged 80. He was very fit and always kicking a ball around with grandkids and tending his huge garden and taking long, daily walks. He rarely saw a GP because he was so healthy and it was only discovered his cholesterol was “high” when he was called in for a health check.

Within about a week of starting statins all the symptoms developed which I described.

That is the best truthful advice ever Primrose. Maybe we should start a misinformation thread.

foxie48

Primrose53

GPs are paid to hit targets and those are often reached using medications. These targets are rewarded with QOF points.
Targets =points, points= money.
Points are worth about £230 each.
GP practices can make around £150,000 per practice.

It’s not just statins by the way.

Not true, GPs get paid for doing health checks, never for prescribing. This information is freely available on the internet if you look at reliable sources.

If it's a dispensing practice they are paid for each prescription which mounts up if the actual medication only costs pennies.

Patients were always told to see a doctor straight away if they suffered from muscle pain. Not something that is mentioned with other drugs that might have side effects mentioned in the instructions.

If it's a dispensing practice they are paid for each prescription which mounts up if the actual medication only costs pennies.

They do not pocket that cash. It goes to the NHS.

The practice submits details to NHS of what they have bought in and dispensed and are reimbursed accordingly.

I've just looked it up:

^Drug Tariff Reimbursement: The NHS pays the practice for medications prescribed and dispensed using official monthly price lists.
Dispensing Fees: A fixed fee paid per item dispensed to help cover dispensary staffing and overhead costs.^

So the practice does not make a profit that is dependent on what drug they choose - they simply tell the NHS what they have spent and NHS reimburses them. There are of course guidelines as to what they can and can't prescribe.

So the GP is not making a profit on the deal so is not being incentivised to prescribe a particular drug.

Non-dispensing practices equally have no incentive to prescribe a particular drug.

There is a difference between believing statins may be overprescribed in some situations and claiming GPs profit personally from prescribing them. As far as I'm aware, NHS GPs don't receive personal payments for writing statin prescriptions.

Practices are incentivized to meet certain targets as regards cardiac/stroke screening which are likely to increase statin prescriptions - but I don't think the screening obliges them to prescribe, just advise.

The sort of aggressive attempts by drug companies to persuade GPs to prescribe their product that went on when my OH was in practice have been stopped now.

I still have hand towels with drug names on (notably a yellow one with a diuretic name on!) and the day my OH was at a quiz and was asked if he had a pen will go down in history - he pulled a Viagra pen from his pocket!

There is much less evidence for the use of statins after age 70.
UBC (University of British Columbia) research
"Finds limited evidence for Starting statins (without prior cardiovascular disease) in adults over 70".
**However it is noted statins reduce serious cardiovasculr events for seconadary prevention.
Older adults face higher rates of side effects like muscle pain, cataracts, and liver/kidney dysfunction."
Australia's research into statins for the over 70's is worth reading too.

I was given statins about 10years ago, by a Locum GP. My feet started ballooning .
Rang the surgery and they advised me to stop them immediately. Haven’t taken one since.

I've been taking statins for over 20 years with no ill effects. However after a blood test I was told that my cholesterol was raised so they were doubling the dose. That was a couple of months ago and I'm noticing that my arthritic shoulders are a lot more painful and the muscles in my arms are starting to ache. I've got another blood test next week with a review to follow so I will bring this up, because it's becoming a real problem.

I take both too. I put off taking statins for over a year (after being advised to take them) but eventually gave in. I was worried about side effects but have had no problems at all. You have to decide what's right for you. All the best

Aely Well done on your star jumps, sorry to hear how you've suffered with the statins, bad news.

Luckygirl thanks for that, mine is inherited, I am just afraid of the side effects, when I am healthy at the moment. Keep in mind that the medical companies are making millions if not billions on these statins and I wonder if the doctors get a commission for each prescription & life long use.

Your body and brain need cholesterol.

I wonder if the doctors get a commission for each prescription & life long use.

They really do not. This is a myth that has been doing the rounds for a while and it is worrying that this might have put people off from taking something that could prevent them having a stroke or heart attack.

Drug companies do indeed make profits on this and every other drug that is manufactured, but they would go out of business if they did not and then we would not have insulin, cancer drugs, paracetamol, laxatives, anaesthetics nor any of the other drugs that we need. People only bring up the profit factor over a drug they feel reluctant to take.

We have NICE which investigates the efficacy of the drugs that are prescribed and GPs are not allowed to prescribe anything that does not have proven clinical benefits.

All drugs carry side effect risks and every individual needs to do their research, even if just quizzing their GP, and make a decision for themselves. Statins are not for everyone and each individual needs to decide whether it is for them or not, but they can do so free from the concern that the advice to take them is based on anything other than clinical need.

I think it is important that people do not feel that there are ulterior motives for their GP's advice - that advice is given in good faith on the basis of the clear rules and with no profit to them.

Why are so many people prescribed Statins when they are healthy [beforehand]?

Why are so many people suffering Dementia & Parkinsons? both are said side effects from taking Statins for years.

The reason that many people are prescribed statins at a time when they appear healthy is because a statin is essentially a preventative drug - it is there to stop someone becoming unhealthy - essentially to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke. They will be offered it if they have high cholesterol.

Some people have problems with the statin and feel worse when they take it and that is the time to go back to the GP to discuss the risk/benefit balance and whether a different statin might suit them better.

There is no evidence at all that statins cause dementia and Parkinsons which are both diseases of aging - there are so many people suffering with these because the population is older and is nothing to do with statins. See below:

"Current medical research shows no strong scientific evidence that statins cause dementia or Parkinson's disease. Instead, large studies and reviews indicate that statins are generally safe for the brain, and some research even links them to a reduced risk of dementia and neutral or potentially protective effects regarding Parkinson's."

*Dr.Watson Another one referred to side effects of "Confusion, memory loss, aching joints and muscles." . . . .if you went on a coach tour for the more ancient tourists and did a survey, I'm pretty sure that almost everyone would say they had that lot, irrespective of their pills?! .....and all on Statins?

Thanks for advice Overthemoon

Primrose sorry to read about your dad. Being healthy & fit myself I don't want to go down the same road as your dad. How is he now?

That Atorvastatin caused my husband to have awful leg pain. Lots of press stories over the years negative about it citing muscle damage. My husband was taken off it quickly by his GP. I didn’t get on with it either.

It is good that GPs deal quickly with those who suffer side effects, and good that so many do not and have had the benefit from them.

Exactly Luckygirl. Those of us with complex chronic health problems may resist meds initially but most of us have to accept we take the drugs or else!

It is unfortunate that sometimes conspiracy theories take hold and people do not then get the benefit from treatments that might help them.

Believe me I would bin every one of my drugs if I could, but I know they are keeping me alive and preventing further life-threatening episodes.

At no point have I ever felt that any of these drugs were given without good intent.

Same here Lucky. I’ve also never felt a drug was recommended by my GP or specialist without clear reasons given