The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7360 p433
8 October 2005

This article
Reprint   Photocopy

  Acrobat Reader

News summary

Patients need support in taking statins effectively

Policy makers should consider how to support patients in taking statins effectively, according to the Task Force on Medicines Partnership.

The suggestion was made in response to a study showing that statins can reduce morbidity and mortality in a much wider group of people than previously thought (PJ, 1 October, p397).

Joanne Shaw, director of Medicines Partnership, commented: “Many patients prescribed statins are not full partners in the prescribing decision. Having high cholesterol has no symptoms, so unless prescribers take the time to engage patients in an informed discussion about the benefits and risks of treatment, it is not surprising that many cease taking it after a time.”

Medicines Partnership estimates that there were 7,500 preventable strokes in 2003, 1,200 preventable heart attacks and 4,900 preventable deaths in the UK that would not have occurred if patients had taken their statin therapy as prescribed.