Statins "do not work well for one person in two"

Research suggests that the hypocholesterolemic "statins" taken by millions of Britons may not work well enough in about half of those prescribed to them.

British researchers examined 165,000 patients on statins and found that one in two drugs did not have enough effect on bad cholesterol, one of the major risk factors for heart disease.

They do not know why statins seem to help some more than others.

Patients should not stop taking the medication without consulting their doctor.

One possible explanation is that patients do not take prescribed medications or that doctors give them too low doses, experts suggest.

Cardiovascular disease kills an estimated 150,000 people in the UK each year.

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) "bad" cholesterol is a major contributor – it can lead to the formation of furs and the blockage of blood vessels.

Smoking and obesity

Reducing saturated fat can help reduce bad cholesterol, but some people will also need medication. Millions of people in the UK receive statins for this reason.

But statins can cause side effects and the number of patients to prescribe them is controversial.

The study, published in the journal Heart, included 165,411 patients who had been subjected to statins to reduce their risk of developing heart disease by reducing their cholesterol levels to a healthy level.

Half of the patients – 84,609 in total – have not seen their cholesterol decrease sufficiently – the required reduction of 40% or more specified by the guidelines – even after two years of daily treatment.

Experts say the results of the study are somewhat limited as they can not prove that patients who do not respond well to statins will necessarily be worse off as a result. Other factors, such as smoking and obesity, also increase cardiovascular risk.

But the work provides "real" data and an experience to build on.

Researcher Stephen Weng, of the University of Nottingham, said: "Our research has shown that in nearly half of the patients, the prescribed statins are very effective and offer significant protection against cardiovascular disease.

"However, for the other half – whether because of your genetic makeup, your side effects, your treatment or that of other drugs – we do not see the expected benefit . "

& # 39; Mixed Messaging & # 39;

In the study, lower doses of activity were prescribed to a higher proportion of patients with a suboptimal response to statins, compared to those with optimal response.

"We need to develop better ways to understand the differences between patients and to design a more effective treatment for these millions of patients who are just generalized statins."

Professor Metin Avkiran, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Statins are an important and proven treatment for lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart attack or potentially fatal stroke.

"If statins have been prescribed for you, you should continue to take them regularly, as prescribed If you have any concerns, discuss your medications with your doctor.There are now other medications available to help reduce the cholesterol levels, and it's possible that another type of medication will be an add-on or an effective alternative for you. "

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, President of the Royal College of GPs, said, "When we prescribe medications, we have to rely on patients to make sure they take them at the recommended dose and for the time we think will benefit the most.

"Many researches show that statins are safe and effective drugs for most people, and can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, when they are prescribed appropriately – but their widespread use and their potential side effects remain controversial.

"There are complex reasons why patients choose not to take the medications they have been prescribed, and a mixed message about statins could be part of it."