NHS: 'Millions more' people should be put on cholesterol-lowering statin drugs

Based on the draft guidelines for the NHS in England, heart attacks and strokes could be prevented if more people use the statins.

12:55 12 February 2014

In the UK, cardiovascular diseases remain to be the leading killer disease claiming about 180,000 lives per year. It is for this reason that The National Institute for Health and Care Excellences (NICE) say that more people should be put on cholesterol-lowering statin drugs to protect them against heart attacks and strokes.

 

Currently, people who have 20per cent chances of developing cardiovascular diseases over 10 years are offered statin tablets. NICE is now suggesting that in order to keep the death rates lower, people with 10per cent risk should also be offered the same. 

 

The draft guidelines give doctors the power to make a judgement if the people they are treating have less than 10per cent chances. 

 

Currently, the NHS spends about £450m a year on statins. If the draft is approved, the number is expected to increase dramatically although the drugs have gotten significantly cheaper to produce over the years. 

 

The statins work by lowering cholesterol levels to protect people from heart attack and strokes.