1. UK and US at odds with Europe over statin use - EURACTIV.com
The EHI concluded that European healthcare systems suffered from a “prevention deficit”. It is also unclear how effective statins are at preventing a first ...
Statins are already the United Kingdom’s most commonly prescribed medicines – roughly 6 million Brits take the drugs on a regular basis to lower the risk of a cardiovascular incident, in line with US practice. But in continental Europe, views tend to differ.

2. Why are we still in the middle of a 'statins war'? | Heart
Apr 3, 2019 · Only 10 percent declined statins, with most citing side effects as their main concern. Despite these prolonged and often misguided debates, we ...
As medical journals and websites debate who should take statins and the severity of their side effects, Dr. Hill says not to forget that they save lives.

3. New European Guidelines 'Drastically' Reduce Statin Eligibility
Jul 7, 2022 · The authors report that new risk thresholds that were chosen for statin treatment in the 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines ...
New data show most of the primary prevention population in low-risk countries failed to meet the guideline’s SCORE2 threshold to qualify for statins.

4. Statins: 10 facts you might not know - BHF
Feb 3, 2020 · Over 71.1 million statin prescription items were dispensed in England in 2018, up 46% since 2008.
Statins: have you heard these facts about one of the most commonly prescribed and well-researched drugs in the UK?

5. European Docs: US Uses Too Many Statins - HCPLive
Aug 27, 2016 · Statins should not be physicians' first option in treating all patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease, according to new European ...
See AlsoWhy Did Peter The Great Call His New Capital City A “Window On Europe”? He Wanted It To Reflect European Culture. He Introduced The First European-Style Windows To Russia. He Wanted To Build A City Close To Europe But Far From The Sea. He Wanted His CapitWhat Is The Main Reason That The Us Government Wanted To Avoid Large-Scale Railroad Strikes After The Great Railroad Strike Of 1877? Railroad Strikes Had A Negative Effect On Workers, And Many Lost Their Jobs. Railroad Strikes Weakened The Power And AuthoStatins should not be physicians' first option in treating all patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease, according to new European treatment guidelines.

6. The Fatal Dangers of Statin Misinformation
Dec 3, 2019 · “The false reports circulated about statins are not only misleading, they're outright dangerous.”
You owe it to yourself to see for yourself – to review the many published, peer-reviewed studies, from reputable institutions. The stakes are simply too high to do otherwise.

7. Variations and increase in use of statins across Europe - NCBI
Nov 26, 2003 · Use of statins across Europe was extensive but variable (table). The widest use was in Norway, with over five times the per capita use than in ...
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8. New statins guidance could make extra 15m people eligible in England
Jan 12, 2023 · Guidance for NHS says extending cholesterol-lowering treatment could save thousands more lives.
Guidance for NHS says extending cholesterol-lowering treatment could save thousands more lives

9. Few Adults Eligible for Primary Prevention With Statins in Latest ...
Jul 6, 2022 · The latest European guidelines for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease appear to reduce the number of patients eligible for statin ...
The thresholds for starting statins are too high and need to more closely align with other international guidelines, say researchers.

10. Statins 'vastly superior' to supplements to cut heart attack risk, study finds
Nov 6, 2022 · Millions of people are prescribed statins to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, but many would rather take supplements ...
Millions of people are prescribed statins to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, but many would rather take supplements instead. A new study shows statins are much more effective.

11. Benefits of statins may have been overstated – new study
Mar 14, 2022 · New review suggests many don't benefit massively from taking a daily statin.
New review suggests many don’t benefit massively from taking a daily statin.

12. What do European doctors say about our guidelines for statins? - Kevin MD
Apr 23, 2014 · The new recommendations departed from prior ones in saying that we should prescribe statin drugs to patients with higher risk of heart attacks ...
It is possible that guidelines which increase the use of statins will also make us just a little weaker, achier, stupid and diabetic.

13. The TRUTH on statins: Are the cholesterol-busting pills safe?
Jan 13, 2023 · The analysis, by University Hospital Bonn in Germany and published in November, examined studies involving almost 40,000 across Europe.
Statins cost as little as 2p per pill and have been credited with saving millions of lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes but thousands have shunned the drugs over the side effects.

14. Latest statins guidance keeps more conservative approach to ... - CNN
Aug 23, 2022 · Those guidelines recommend statins for adults ages 40 to 75 who have a 7.5% or greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 ...
The US Preventive Services Task Force on Tuesday announced its latest guidelines on the use of statins to prevent a first heart attack or stroke. The recommendations are virtually unchanged from prior guidance but are now supported by additional research, the group said.

15. One cardiologist's mission to reduce statin use for cholesterol - CNN
Jan 14, 2019 · Children as young as 10, according to the guidelines, can be started on statin medications such as Lipitor and Crestor.
High cholesterol? Here’s a pill. High blood pressure? Here’s two pills. High blood sugar? Here’s 2 pills and an injection. This is what many doctors routinely do, without ever addressing why the cholesterol, blood pressure or blood sugar is abnormal in the first place.

16. Can't take statins? New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks | AP News
Mar 4, 2023 · In a major study, a new kind of cholesterol-lowering drug helped people who can't take the first choice, pills called statins ... Europe · Africa ...
In a major study, a new kind of cholesterol-lowering drug helped people who can’t take the first choice, pills called statins.

FAQs
Are statins allowed in Europe? ›
Statins lower blood cholesterol concentration and reduce the relative risk of coronary events by about 30% in both primary and secondary prevention. Statins are widely and increasingly used in most European countries, although data on the extent of this are not generally available.
What do Europeans use instead of statins? ›The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended authorising Repatha (evolocumab) as treatment to lower high levels of cholesterol in the blood of people who are unable to control their cholesterol despite taking optimal doses of statins or who cannot take statins. It should be used in addition to a healthy diet.
Why are doctors still pushing statins? ›Because many factors are involved, your cholesterol numbers may be considered normal and yet you may still be found to be at an elevated risk for heart problems. As a result, statin medications are now used to lower the risk of heart disease and heart events in most anyone found to be at high risk.
Are doctors still prescribing statins? ›For drug therapy, statins remain the first-line of defense for patients who are at high risk for a cardiovascular event. There are four general categories recommended to determine who is at high risk for a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke.
Do Italians take statins? ›From 2004 to 2010, the one-year prevalence of statin use increased from 44.9/1,000 inhabitants to 79.8/1,000, respectively, consistently with the incidence of new use from 16.2/1,000 to 19.5/1,000, except a slight decrease after criteria reimbursement revision on 2005 (13.3/1,000).
Do Germans take statins? ›Around 20 million people worldwide take statins. The number tops nearly five million in Germany alone. The drugs are prescribed to lower cholesterol levels and prevent secondary diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.
Is there a drug to lower cholesterol that is not a statin? ›Praluent (alirocumab) and Repatha (evolocumab) are in a newer group of medications called PCSK9 inhibitors. These cholesterol-lowering medications are injected under the skin once to twice monthly and work by blocking an enzyme (protein) in the liver called PCSK9.
What is the new treatment instead of statins? ›A daily pill, bempodoic acid, has the potential to lower risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke for people who can't or won't take statins.
Why do people not want to take statins? ›Statins are effective, accessible, and affordable. However, well-known side effects like muscle pain keep some people from taking them.
What do cardiologists think of statins? ›Milks agrees, saying, “Statin therapy is highly effective, inexpensive, and generally well tolerated among individuals with high cholesterol and/or elevated risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.” But simple internet searches can help explain why some people are hesitant to go on statins, says Turchin.
Do doctors get kickbacks for prescribing statins? ›
Taking a Brand-Name Statin? Your Doctor May Be Taking Industry Money. A Harvard study shows doctors who take industry payouts are more likely to prescribe brand-name drugs, which is driving up unnecessary healthcare spending.
What is the truth about statin drugs? ›Statins block an enzyme the liver needs to make cholesterol. This causes the liver to remove cholesterol from the blood. While statins are highly effective and safe for most people, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people. Rarely, they may cause liver damage.
What is the safest statin on the market? ›According to a research review people who take simvastatin (Zocor) or pravastatin (Pravachol) may experience fewer side effects.
How many people refuse to take statins? ›The study found that around one-third of people who were recommended statins never took it.
What percentage of Americans take statins? ›The number of individuals in the general population who reported taking any statin climbed from 31 million (12%) in 2008–2009 to 92 million (35%) in 2018–2019, representing a 197% increase.
What do Europeans do for high cholesterol? ›A large number of European patients with and without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) are receiving inadequate lipid-lowering therapy, with the majority of patients receiving only moderate-intensity statins and very few treated with concomitant therapy, such as ezetimibe or PCSK9 inhibitors, according to ...
What medication can I not take to Europe? ›- ADHD/ADD medications (*Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin) *considered illegal narcotics in many European countries.
- Pain medications (Vicodin, Oxycontin, Demerol)
- Anxiety medications (Xanax, Ativan, Valium)
In secondary prevention, it can be estimated that 8400 events are avoided by statin treatment each year in France, including 2580 deaths. If 8% of patients stopped their medication, 672 events would be induced, including 206 additional deaths in 1 year.
What is the cholesterol limit in Europe? ›Targets for total cholesterol in high risk patients range from 4.1mmol/l, advised by the Austrian and German nutrition soci- eties, to 5mmol/l in England, and compared to 4.5mmol/l in the current European guidelines.