Last week a survey by Pulse magazine revealed that the majority of GPs would not take statins themselves under the new draft guidance or recommend them to a relative.
Dr Kailash Chand, deputy chairman of the British Medical Association, has suffered debilitating muscle pains while taking statins.
Speaking as a GP he said: “I think many of the benefits of statins have been hyped up and the side effects ignored.”
In draft guidelines released in February, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended that the “risk threshold” for statins be cut in half – so that anyone with a 10 per cent risk of developing cardiovascular disease would now be prescribed drugs.
However statins are already the most commonly prescribed medication in Britain, already costing the NHS £450 million a year. And surveys have shown that up to half of patients voluntarily stop taking the drugs after a year, many reporting side effects.
Yet it is estimated that statins save 7,000 lives in the UK every year and charities welcomed the findings, claiming they should reassure people. Doireann Maddock, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Previous research has demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of statins. While all medications have the potential for side effects this research may offer further reassurance to the many people in the UK who are prescribed statins.
“Side effects such as muscle ache, which is often associated with statins, can also be related to many other things. If you think you are experiencing side effects it’s important to discuss it with your doctor so that they can explore what might be causing them.”
Dr Shamim Quadir, research communications manager at the Stroke Association, added: “This research may help to prevent stroke patients from coming off statins unnecessarily.”
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