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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Warning over heart drugs increase | Warning over heart drugs increase |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Drugs to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure have been offered to too many healthy patients, doctors claim. | Drugs to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure have been offered to too many healthy patients, doctors claim. |
| A conference organised by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh will hear that prescription of statins has risen dramatically. | A conference organised by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh will hear that prescription of statins has risen dramatically. |
| Dr Paul Padfield said it was easier to offer a prescription than to persuade people to make lifestyle changes. | Dr Paul Padfield said it was easier to offer a prescription than to persuade people to make lifestyle changes. |
| He said people with a relatively low risk of heart disease were being put on the drug, "turning them into patients". | He said people with a relatively low risk of heart disease were being put on the drug, "turning them into patients". |
| The doctor said that lowering blood pressure and cholesterol reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke. | The doctor said that lowering blood pressure and cholesterol reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke. |
| 'Environmental factors' | 'Environmental factors' |
| He said: "All of us have a risk of heart attack and stroke, it just depends on how high that risk should be before we decide to treat it with drugs | He said: "All of us have a risk of heart attack and stroke, it just depends on how high that risk should be before we decide to treat it with drugs |
| "There is a lot of high blood pressure in our society which is to do with environmental factors such as we are too heavy and we consume too much salt. | "There is a lot of high blood pressure in our society which is to do with environmental factors such as we are too heavy and we consume too much salt. |
| "Addressing those will lower blood pressure and, to some extent, cholesterol." | "Addressing those will lower blood pressure and, to some extent, cholesterol." |
| I would not want this conference to suggest that medical intervention at reducing cardiovascular risk is a waste of time Dr Mike NaptonBritish Heart Foundation | I would not want this conference to suggest that medical intervention at reducing cardiovascular risk is a waste of time Dr Mike NaptonBritish Heart Foundation |
| Dr Padfield added: "We ought to be targeting those at the highest level of risk for tablets and for the rest, working hard to prevent them getting to the stage where they need tablets." | Dr Padfield added: "We ought to be targeting those at the highest level of risk for tablets and for the rest, working hard to prevent them getting to the stage where they need tablets." |
| Dr Mike Napton, of the British Heart Foundation, said there was evidence to support medical interventions which reduced the risk of heart disease and stroke. | Dr Mike Napton, of the British Heart Foundation, said there was evidence to support medical interventions which reduced the risk of heart disease and stroke. |
| He said: "If somebody comes to see me as a GP, I would be negligent if I identified they had high risk of cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years and did not do something about it. | He said: "If somebody comes to see me as a GP, I would be negligent if I identified they had high risk of cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years and did not do something about it. |
| "The balance can be got wrong but I would not want this conference to suggest that medical intervention at reducing cardiovascular risk is a waste of time." | "The balance can be got wrong but I would not want this conference to suggest that medical intervention at reducing cardiovascular risk is a waste of time." |
| Ill health | Ill health |
| New NHS guidelines urge GPs to prescribe statins to those with a 20% risk of developing cardiovascular disease within 10 years, as well as those who have it. | New NHS guidelines urge GPs to prescribe statins to those with a 20% risk of developing cardiovascular disease within 10 years, as well as those who have it. |
| It is hoped that the widening of prescription guidelines will ultimately save the NHS money by reducing the number of people who have to undergo costly heart operations such as bypasses. | It is hoped that the widening of prescription guidelines will ultimately save the NHS money by reducing the number of people who have to undergo costly heart operations such as bypasses. |
| Cardiovascular disease causes about 238,000 deaths in the UK yearly and is also a significant cause of ill health. | Cardiovascular disease causes about 238,000 deaths in the UK yearly and is also a significant cause of ill health. |
| Statins reduce the level of harmful cholesterol in the blood by slowing down its production in the liver. | Statins reduce the level of harmful cholesterol in the blood by slowing down its production in the liver. |
| Some 1.8 million people already receive the drugs on the NHS. | Some 1.8 million people already receive the drugs on the NHS. |
| Health Minister Andy Kerr said the Scottish Executive was on track to meeting tough targets to halve premature stroke deaths and cut premature heart deaths by nearly two thirds. | |
| "Lifestyle is of course a contributory factor to fatal diseases," he said. | |
| "So, as well as investing in the right care and treatment, we need to help people in helping themselves to lead heathier lives so there is less chance of them becoming ill. | |
| "Stopping smoking, improving diet and increasing levels of physical activity are at the heart of health improvement." |