Statins, guidelines, GPs (from the Guardian)

[LittleGreyCat]

First the link:
https://www.theguardian.com/society...ver-75-eligible-for-statins-analysis-suggests
which suggests that under new guidelines almost ever male over 60 fits the criteria to be prescribed statins.

Now for the double edges sword!

"Commenting on the paper, Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:"

Statins have been found to be highly effective drugs at preventing cardiovascular disease by reducing cholesterol levels of patients, and extensive research has shown that taking them is safe.

Which is the party line (which many here may not agree with). However she also says

But our patients should only take medication if they need to, and specifically they are at high risk of developing conditions that statins can help prevent.

We need to get the risk scores right. If we find that all men over 60 and all women over 75 are going to be eligible for statins with new risk scoring, regardless of any other risk factor, then it should ring alarm bells – because it is not clear that every 60-year-old man or 75-year-old woman is going to benefit from statin therapy.

Which is a polite way of saying that the new guidelines are almost certainly wrong.

You go, Girl!!!!

 

[Bluetit1802]

She is right to say the risk calculator needs work doing on it.

I have just typed in Female aged 70 with perfect cholesterol ratio, BP and BMI and no other health issues. The risk score is above the magic 10%. so she would be offered statins. Simply because of her age.

Have a play
https://qrisk.org/2017/index.php

 

[carol43]

Using the QRISK2 mine is 13% with T2 but only 7.4% without. Why would my well controlled BG make me a bigger risk.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Using the QRISK2 mine is 13% with T2 but only 7.4% without. Why would my well controlled BG make me a bigger risk.

I asked the GP that question. She mumbled something about it being because CV damage had probably already been done prior to being well controlled.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Using the QRISK2 mine is 13% with T2 but only 7.4% without. Why would my well controlled BG make me a bigger risk.

Because statistics?

As in they average out all the T2s including the ones with really major health issues and come up with a "one number fits all" score.