Statins are often provided to patients to reduce the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, the NHS notes it is sometimes known as ‘bad cholesterol’.
Taken once a day, statins help to protect arteries from becoming blocked, reducing the risk of issues such as heart attack. In National Heart Month, happening this February, it’s important to ensure people have the best possible solutions available to them to protect their health.
Statins, despite their positives, have a large number of potential side-effects, which may stop people from pursuing this form of treatment.
A new meta-analysis published in The Lancet, may help to put at least some of these concerns at ease. It finds there is minimal compelling evidence for the inclusion of most potential side-effect warnings when prescribing the medication, which affects patients’ and practitioners’ ability to seek the best forms of care.
The research estimated that between October 2013 and March 2014, around 200,000 UK patients halted their statin therapy. Depending on the number that resumed treatment, around 2,000-6,000 avoidable cardiovascular events would occur in the next decade.
Studies show that negative statin-related news focuses produce a noticeable volume of patients discontinuing their statin therapy (according to data in Denmark), as well as an impact on the volume of statins prescribed by healthcare professionals (via findings in Australia).
Patients and professionals need clear, accurate information around the risks associated with medication in order to make informed decisions. Bias – unconscious or otherwise – against the use of certain medications due to news coverage may cause individuals to not receive their paramount support, increasing the risk of negative health outcomes.
The study from The Lancet found little causal links between the use of statins and problems including sleep disturbance, memory loss and depression.
The problems that were confirmed, however, included muscle problems (for example general pain), diabetes and liver enzyme abnormalities, as well as possible adverse effects of an unknown clinical relevance on urinary composition alteration and oedema.
Talking to The Guardian, Christina Reith, an associate professor at Oxford University, noted:
“What we were able to show reliably was that statins did not make these commonly experienced events occur more often.
“So, for example, the percentage of people suffering memory loss per year was similar to those taking statin therapy as those not, equally. The percentage of people suffering sleep problems per year was similar to those taking statin therapy as for those not.
“This means that we now have really good evidence that, although these things may well happen to people whilst they take statins, statins are not the cause of these problems.”
With this bout of good PR for statins – could we see more patients have access to the potentially life-saving medication?
>Since you’re here, why not read about how people can take steps towards better heart health?
