Statin

Question 1

Check for contraindications

Answer 1

– Pregnancy

Question 2

How the treatment works

Answer 2

– Statins stop the liver making cholesterol
– High cholesterol causes problems with your arteries, which increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease
– It is important to also address other cardiovascular risk factors…

Question 3

Treatment course and how it’s taken

Answer 3

– Once daily tablet in the evening
– Taken long term
– Decreases risk over many years

Question 4

Monitoring required
– Review in 4 weeks, then every 6-12 months (with lipid profile as required) → dose may be titrated up if target not met
– LFTs before starting, at 3 months and at 12 months (statins cause altered LFTs)

Question 5

Side effects
– Muscle pains
– Headache
– Itching
– Also nausea, sickness, diarrhoea, abdominal pain
– Rhabdomyolysis – tell doctor if you experience unexpected muscle pain
– Some statins interact with grapefruit juice