‘Statins, the cholesterol-busting drugs already taken by 7 million people in England, should be offered to millions more who have only a low risk of heart disease or stroke, new NHS guidance says.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says in draft guidance which now goes out to consultation that the threshold for GPs to prescribe statins to their patients should be cut in half. At the moment they are given to those with a 20% risk of cardiovascular disease, but Nice says that should be reduced to 10%.
The plan is applauded by some doctors and heart disease charities but criticised by other experts, who warn that the drugs have side-effects – which can include muscle pains, memory loss and erectile dysfunction – and may not be as effective as is claimed.’
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