NICE are advising that all adults with CKD should be offered statins, specifically atorvastatin, as a way to manage their increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and that healthcare professionals should discuss statin therapy with everyone who is diagnosed with CKD.
Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive at NICE, said: “We know that a high number of people with long-term kidney problems will develop cardiovascular disease. This means they have an increased risk of suffering a fatal heart attack or stroke. It is important for healthcare professionals to speak to patients about their treatment options. The effectiveness of statins is now well proven, as is their long term safety. They may appeal to a lot of people who are at risk.”
Fiona Loud, Policy Director at Kidney Care UK, commented: “Given the close link between Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease, we believe that great care should be taken to reduce the likelihood of further complications for people who have CKD. We believe that offering statin therapy to reduce cardiovascular risks such as heart attack or stroke, should be done as part of a shared and informed decision with patients. We welcome this guidance because the recent CKD Audit highlighted that this is not happening consistently across the country right now.”
To find out more about the guidance visit the NICE website
If you'd like to read more about the CKD Audit, published earlier this year, you can do so here