'6m people miss out on life-saving statins' More patients should be given beneficial drug

A new study reveals that if drug guidelines were strictly adhered to, nearly 12 million adults aged between 30 and 84 would be eligible. 

That is double the current number of people taking them. 

The analysis is the first to scrutinise a recommendation by drug-rationing body Nice saying the pills should be offered to anyone with a 10 per cent chance of a heart attack within a 10 years. 

It means a third of all adults now meets the criteria for a treatment that remains mired in controversy with medics at loggerheads over whether they cause debilitating side-effects. 

The analysis from the US, looking at English patients, does not mean everyone should routinely be prescribed the cholesterol-busting pills. 

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: “It is not clear every 60- year-old man or 75-year-old woman is going to benefit from statin therapy. 

“As with any drug, taking statin medication has potential side-effects, and taking any medication long-term is a substantial undertaking for patients. Many don’t want to take statins once they have learned all the facts, and GPs will respect patient choice.” 

The 2014 guidelines, updated previous guidance recommending statins were offered to those with a 20 per cent or greater chance. 

Millions are thought to have stopped taking statins for fear of side-effects including muscle aches, memory loss, kidney problems and sleep disturbance. 

The new analysis carried out by Professor Peter Ueda, of the Harvard T.H. 

Chan School of Public Health in Boston, reveals 37 per cent of those aged 30 to 84 meet the criteria for statins. That includes almost all men over 60 and all women over 75. 

Dr Mike Knapton, of the British Heart Foundation, said: “There is no question that statins lower people’s risk of heart attack and stroke. 

“This study suggests an estimated 6.3 million people are missing out on the potential lifesaving benefits. If these people were taking statins, we could not only potentially prevent 290,000 heart attacks and strokes, but also reduce the burden of these events on both the NHS and people’s lives.

“As well as taking statins, keeping active, eating a balanced diet and not smoking are vital to lowering your risk and keeping your heart healthy.” 

The review comes after a number of contradictory reports. Consultant cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra, of Lister Hospital in Stevenage, Herts, said recently: “There is no evidence of a single person suffering a heart attack or dying from not taking statins.” 

The study was published in the British Journal of General Practice.