Statins... I'm dithering... what would you do?
Discussion
Background: Age 57. BMI 29. Fairly fit (can walk up to 20 miles, swim for an hour). About 50% of close and distant family have had heart issues, some dieing in their 50's/60s. My cholesterol is 6.1. Eat fairly healthily. Don't drink much. For about 20 years in my younger days I was very unhealthy (much fatter, drank lots, ate badly, no exercise). The NHS algorithm says I am high risk of cardio vascular disease.
Anyway at my 5 year NHS checkup the nurse suggested I should look at going on statins. Personally I don't like taking any tablets except as a last resort so we agreed I'd spend the next 6 months trying to get the high cholesterol down by losing weight, more exercise, eating more healthily.
Many of my family are on statins and say I should take them, so now I am dithering whether I should be too, as I said I don't like taking tablets in case of side effects, long term effects etc. I know nothing about them. What would you do in my place?
Thank you
Anyway at my 5 year NHS checkup the nurse suggested I should look at going on statins. Personally I don't like taking any tablets except as a last resort so we agreed I'd spend the next 6 months trying to get the high cholesterol down by losing weight, more exercise, eating more healthily.
Many of my family are on statins and say I should take them, so now I am dithering whether I should be too, as I said I don't like taking tablets in case of side effects, long term effects etc. I know nothing about them. What would you do in my place?
Thank you
How’s your blood pressure? If you have family history of early death from heart disease it’s probably worth paying for a full heart health check privately if you can afford it.
Not sure about statins though don’t have any experience of them. I did have undiagnosed dangerous hypertension which is now under control with tablets and would probably have done some serious long term damage if my local surgery hadn’t proactively called me in when I turned 50.
Not sure about statins though don’t have any experience of them. I did have undiagnosed dangerous hypertension which is now under control with tablets and would probably have done some serious long term damage if my local surgery hadn’t proactively called me in when I turned 50.
Asking the general public if it is a good idea for you to go on statins is pointless. If you're concerned, get a proper assessment of your blood cholesterol ... high density/low density split, etc. ... and get the state of your arteries assessed, e.g. ultrasound test on the arteries in your throat. If that shows up problems, you'll get proper informed advice from the professionals.
Out of the blue, I had a heart attack 33 years aged 55. I had private medical insurance, that kicked in and I had a whole series of examinations, culminating in a triple bypass in June 1990.
Over the years, my medication have increased from statin - now Atorvastatin - to Bisopralol, a beta blocker, Ramipril and Rivaroxaban a blood thinner.
I have worked on the principle - "why should I know more than a consultant cardiologist with years of training and experience". If they have advised me on a course of action, I have followed it.
Unless you can get it through the NHS, it might be worth paying for a consultation with a cardiologist. Your GP can probably advise you of one or two names who are not too far away.
Over the years, my medication have increased from statin - now Atorvastatin - to Bisopralol, a beta blocker, Ramipril and Rivaroxaban a blood thinner.
I have worked on the principle - "why should I know more than a consultant cardiologist with years of training and experience". If they have advised me on a course of action, I have followed it.
Unless you can get it through the NHS, it might be worth paying for a consultation with a cardiologist. Your GP can probably advise you of one or two names who are not too far away.
Seriously, though, check out fasting as a simple protocol for losing or maintaining weight.Total Cholesterol alone is not very predictive. Statins have been very profitable and are pushed pretty hard, but if you haven’t had a heart attack the benefits are small and the side effects can be nasty.
Get at least a full lipid profile and blood pressure readings. Even then I would try lifestyle changes first.
Get at least a full lipid profile and blood pressure readings. Even then I would try lifestyle changes first.
While BMI can be a inaccurate measure of total health, it is a useful indicator - unless you're a man mountain your score is pretty high. As we get older I think it's becomes even more important to exercise and improve fitness as much as possible to minimise issues in old age at least. My GP put me on statins a few years ago due to high cholesterol as I was a little overweight due to eating crap and very little useful (cardio) exercise, but I was determined to see if I could improve myself enough to come off the meds as I think they are a sticking plaster and don't really deal with underlying issues that could be resolved more naturally. A few years later of clean eating and regularly exercising my cholesterol numbers are ok and I haven't taken statins for a while. My blood pressure on the other hand is still crap and the lifestyle changes have made little difference there, those issues are mostly due to a long term stressful home and work situation and consequent anxiety, so have admitted defeat and on meds for BP.
I am 49 and have been on statins for 4 or 5 years. Family history of heart disease, had reading of 7.1 at 40, so did dieting , exercise ( I was 75 kgs and 5ft11) and got my weight down to 68, cholesterol down to 3.8. Bit it's difficult to sustain the lifestyle change especially with teenagers, so was on 5mg . Cholesterol as the bad foods came back in to my life . it's undercontrol - although I should get another check up.
With my dosage I am not aware of any symptoms, no tiredness, or aches.
I take it , not for the heart attack prevention (*reduction in chance), but to reduce blood clots and strokes. I don't want to die, but keeling over with a heart attack, is preferable to living life as a stroke victim.(IMHO)
Once you are on them, you are on them, however.
With my dosage I am not aware of any symptoms, no tiredness, or aches.
I take it , not for the heart attack prevention (*reduction in chance), but to reduce blood clots and strokes. I don't want to die, but keeling over with a heart attack, is preferable to living life as a stroke victim.(IMHO)
Once you are on them, you are on them, however.
Scarletpimpofnel said:
I don't like taking tablets in case of side effects, long term effects etc. I know nothing about them.
https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/atorvastatin/https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/rosuvastatin/
https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/pravastatin-sodium/#...
Here are the main ones, read up on them.
Sadly, sometimes it's necessary to take medications long term for certain conditions (if you wish to improve and/or extend life). They are commonly used and, for the majority, have minimal side effects. Your choice, in your shoes I'd take them 100%.
I was on statins for some years, they did nothing. I came off them, no change.
A recent health check raised statins again - with the comment that many people find the disadvantages outweigh the supposed advantages.
There seems to be a lack of clear evidence that statins have definitely helped people - albeit lots of commentary that they *should* help some people.
Hard evidence seems lacking.
A recent health check raised statins again - with the comment that many people find the disadvantages outweigh the supposed advantages.
There seems to be a lack of clear evidence that statins have definitely helped people - albeit lots of commentary that they *should* help some people.
Hard evidence seems lacking.
As one can only speak for oneself, and you did ask what would we do?
I'm getting perilously close to 70 and haven't seen my GP or the surgery for probably 10 or more years, still haven't, they're still in hiding unless you need a work related medical in which case see you tomorrow that'll be £XXX, cash.
The surgery sent me a message to go for blood tests out of the blue presumably my age triggered that, maybe they just discovered i'm on the books, apart from cholesterol slightly high otherwise all good, the very nice nurse mentioned statins.
What did i do? said no.
What will be will be as the song goes.
I'm getting perilously close to 70 and haven't seen my GP or the surgery for probably 10 or more years, still haven't, they're still in hiding unless you need a work related medical in which case see you tomorrow that'll be £XXX, cash.
The surgery sent me a message to go for blood tests out of the blue presumably my age triggered that, maybe they just discovered i'm on the books, apart from cholesterol slightly high otherwise all good, the very nice nurse mentioned statins.
What did i do? said no.
What will be will be as the song goes.
Vasco said:
I was on statins for some years, they did nothing. I came off them, no change.
A recent health check raised statins again - with the comment that many people find the disadvantages outweigh the supposed advantages.
There seems to be a lack of clear evidence that statins have definitely helped people - albeit lots of commentary that they *should* help some people.
Hard evidence seems lacking.
I think the biggest advantages go to the Pharmaceutical companies and the financial incentives GP practices get from the NHS!A recent health check raised statins again - with the comment that many people find the disadvantages outweigh the supposed advantages.
There seems to be a lack of clear evidence that statins have definitely helped people - albeit lots of commentary that they *should* help some people.
Hard evidence seems lacking.
Must be the most over-prescribed drug in healthy people.
LivLL said:
How’s your blood pressure? If you have family history of early death from heart disease it’s probably worth paying for a full heart health check privately if you can afford it.
Not sure about statins though don’t have any experience of them. I did have undiagnosed dangerous hypertension which is now under control with tablets and would probably have done some serious long term damage if my local surgery hadn’t proactively called me in when I turned 50.
BP is 122/77 at the Drs this week. Usually mid 120's.Not sure about statins though don’t have any experience of them. I did have undiagnosed dangerous hypertension which is now under control with tablets and would probably have done some serious long term damage if my local surgery hadn’t proactively called me in when I turned 50.
Yes quite a bad history of early deaths from heart attacks and others with triple bypass etc.
ATG said:
Asking the general public if it is a good idea for you to go on statins is pointless. If you're concerned, get a proper assessment of your blood cholesterol ... high density/low density split, etc. ... and get the state of your arteries assessed, e.g. ultrasound test on the arteries in your throat. If that shows up problems, you'll get proper informed advice from the professionals.
The cholesterol I gave came from an NHS blood test so assume that is a "proper assessment"? I've not been offered ultrasound, just statins by the NHS; I didn't know it was available and wasn't offered. If asked will the surgery arrange that for me?Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff