UK to Screen Adults for Heart Risk

The UK government is about to embark on a massive heart care drive – millions of UK citizens will be screened for their risk of heart disease. Those found at risk will also be offered cholesterol-cutting drugs.

Heart disease is currently the UK’s biggest killer, affecting one in every four men and one in every six women. One of the biggest causes of heart disease is high concentration of cholesterol in the arteries of the heart.

Cholesterol is a type of lipid or fat found in the body. When its concentration increases to a high level, it can cause the build-up of deposits on artery walls. These build-ups ultimately lead to heart disease.

Research has shown that it is possible to cut down cholesterol build-up and the risk of heart disease through exercise and dietary changes. Certain drugs can also help reduce this. The same has been highlighted in a pre-consultation document published two years ago.

The document also stresses the importance of the role that drugs can play in reducing cholesterol. It highlights existing government targets that recommend statins to any patient whose chances of developing coronary heart disease over 10 years are more than 30%.

The guidelines issued by the government are widely used by doctors across the UK. However there are variations in the manner in which statins are prescribed with doctors interpreting the guidelines in their own way.

Now the National Institute for Heart and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will be announcing recommendations this week for screenings people across the UK with a view to offering statin therapy to those found at risk of heart disease.

The mass screening programme is aimed at bringing in millions of patients who are currently not being considered for statin therapy. The programme will cover adults aged 40, 50 and 60 and those assessed with a 20% or higher risk of developing heart disease over the next 10 years will be recommended the drugs.

The impending publication by NICE of guidelines on modifying blood lipids has also been confirmed by a NICE spokeswoman. While confirming that draft guidelines on strategies for reducing blood lipids are likely to be published next week, the spokeswoman declined from commenting on “speculation” about the contents of the guidelines.

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