NICE lowers threshold for statin prescription

England's health technology assessor the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended a lower cardiovascular risk threshold for the prescription of statins by GPs.

A person need only have a 10% risk of a heart attack or stroke over ten years before becoming eligible for the cholesterol-lowering drugs, which have dropped in cost. The threshold was 20% previously.

The move could mean hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, more people taking statins in the UK.

"People should be encouraged to address any lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking too much or eating unhealthily.

"We also recommend that statins are now offered to many more people - the effectiveness of these medicines is now well proven and their cost has fallen."

Professor Mark Baker, director, centre for clinical practice, NICE.

Related news:

Guidelines call for more people to be put on statins (BBC).

UK cost agency urges far wider use of statin drugs (Reuters).

Reference link:

Thousands more could be offered statins (NICE press release).