Hi I have been advised to go on a statin as my Qrisk is at 12%.The cholesterol figures below don't seem that high to me but maybe I'm misterpreting them. Can someone advise please?
Thanks a lot
Total -4.2 mmol
Triglyercides 1.5
HDL 0.9
LDL 2.8
Non HDL chlorestol level 3.3
Chlor/HDL ratio 4.7
Try this
heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol/...
The only one that looks outside of the recommended limit is the HDL .
You might also find this useful.
nice.org.uk/guidance/qs100/...
Finally your GP has no doubt recommended a statin to reduce your heart health risk, perhaps on a trial, and whereas everyone has a personal decision to make about this, and you will no doubt come across naysayers, the simple facts to me are that 90% of people who take statins do not suffer side effects and derive benefit from taking them, and if they didn't do you any good, they would not be prescribed.
Nonetheless if you feel uneasy about taking statins, then I suggest you also look up lifestyle measures to lower your heart health risk, including diet, exercise, body weight management, alcohol and smoking, which might be appropriate for you, all of which is covered on the BHF website and elsewhere. But bear in mind that lifestyle improvements are only good for the time you stick to them.
Thank you for that very helpful reply Lowerfield_no_more .
It's certainly a goldmine of information. It looks as if the HDL part needs to be increased in my case!
Actually, years of study have indicated that statins are NOT effective and many suffer from side effects. READ THE FORUMS which document peoples' personal experiences with these drugs. The drug companies lie, and don't pay people in drug trials if they stop taking the drugs due to the side effects. I've seen 2 documentaries now in which people doing the drug trials lie and minimize the side effects they experience in order to get paid! I also have relatives who suffered heart attack and had to have bipass surgeries after being on statins for 20+ years.
You are of course entitled to your view about statins as a naysayer just like I am mine. Yes people do suffer from side effects but they are in the minority, by about 1 or less in 10. But what you tend to hear about, on the forums you mention like this one and elsewhere, are people who suffer with side effects and are looking for guidance. The majority of statin users don't get side effects so they have no need to ask for help. Effectively they are the silent majority. I have been taking statins for over 25 years, and am currently on the maximum dose, and I don't get side effects, never have. My wife has started a statin and she doesn't get any side effects. And I know others who take statins and they don't get side effects. If I was not on here you would not know that. But in my case what I do get is over 40 % reduction in total cholesterol and evidence that in recent years my arterial plaque is more or less stable, compared to the years when I didn't take statins which caused moderate to severe blockage in my heart arteries. Finally taking statins does not guarantee you won't have heart disease it just reduces that risk, so some folks who take statins will still get heart disease, perhaps that's where genetics comes into play. Anyway heart disease already costs the world economies billions, but global health agencies clearly recognise that the cost would be much more without statins, which is why they are prescribed as a cost effective counter measure, but with understanding that they don't work for everyone.
Well said.Completely agree.
The majority of the time people have positive results or don't get affected by side effects so they don't post about it or come on a forum.
People post more often if they have a problem , causing the impression that Statin side effects are felt more often than they are.
Plus, I know myself , for a very long time , that I felt that I was a bit scared about discussing the cardiac and not just the cholesterol reducing reasons for taking statins and disagreeing with anti Statin replies because I didn't want to get hostile replies for giving my opinion.
I do have many health issues and dealing with that sort of stress just isn't healthy.
In the end , I decided to bite the bullet and say my opinion because all the facts weren't getting represented , but it's still hard when you usually receive a lot of aggressively written replies and anti Statin , anti " Big Pharma" comments about statins that aren't true , but are opinions given as fact.
It's still feels hard to reply with the other side of the Statin debate on what feels like a daily basis.
So , thank you , for joining in and doing the same as me and bringing a bit of balance to the Statin discussion which I'm sure must be more helpful for new members , or people new to being recommended statins.
All contributions are very helpful. Thank you Blearyeyed
If you have a heart condition or are at greater risk of having a cardiovascular event because of your medical history you will be recommended a Statin even if your blood cholesterol readings are in normal range.Statins aren't just prescribed to people with cardiovascular problems to reduce blood cholesterol alone.
They are used to help reduce the build up and stabilise existing arterial plaque, to reduce oxidative stress and help improve inflammation.
Some people find it hard on certain types of statins , often the brand Atorvastatin has more side effects although this is usually the first option prescribed.
Many people do well and get protection from Rosuvastatin without side effects, so if you are being recommended a Statin but you are concerned about reports about side effects you can request to use Rosuvastatin instead of Atorvastatin.
It's worth trying if your doctors feel your history and risk requires the added protection of a Statin.
To reduce the chance of any long term side effects Statin use could contribute to you should also make diet and lifestyle changes.
Drink the recommended amount of water each day.
Increase your intake of B12 and Folate in your food choices as over a long time statins and other medications can reduce your levels if absorption of these.
Maintaining good B vitamin , Iron and Vitamin D levels are important in preventing side effects on many medications including Statins and PPIs.
Your HDL level could also need improvement.
Take care , Bee
Thank you Bee. I don't have a heart condition or any real medical history.
It will literally come down to your QR score , 12% is classed as moderate risk , anything over 10% means doctors will recommend Statins as a precaution, often to take in the short term until you have improved your total cholesterol scores.Often it's better in those circumstances to give the patient the opportunity to try using diet and lifestyle changes ( rather than supplements or herbal remedies) for 3-6 months to see if they can improve cholesterol ranges naturally.
If , as a patient, you have told your GP that you have tried diet changes already, or struggle to control your diet, weight or cholesterol, they will suggest the Statin to help you to reduce your cardiovascular risk and improve the cholesterol levels with the Statin.
Many people also find they cannot control LDL cholesterol by diet alone , like myself.
In these cases, statins are prescribed to help with the condition , called Familial Hypercholesterolemia.
They usually try statins alone but often , like myself, also require another cholesterol lowering medication like Ezetimibe as well.
You can have FHc even if you are your ideal weight , or underweight , and even if you have always followed a healthy diet and lifestyle.
The statin is offered in this case even at an early age because , even if they do not currently suffer from blocked arteries or plaque , they are more at risk than other generally healthy people of developing blocked arteries because they can't get rid of the cholesterol from the blood stream without medicinal support.
If you have no other health issues , or serious family medical history of cardiovascular diseases , you can choose to Follow the process of trying a strict diet and lifestyle changes first before making the decision to try a Statin . Increasing foods including more soluble fibre , B vitamins and Folate and "good" cholesterol, and reducing foods that a high in saturated fat , processed foods and too much fatty and red meat are essential to help improve your HDL cholesterol . Getting more Vitamin D also helps with this process.
I thought I would ask AI for you 😀
The cholesterol numbers provided do not seem extremely high, but there are a few factors that may have led to the statin recommendation, especially given the QRisk score of 12%, which suggests a moderate risk of a cardiovascular event within the next 10 years.
Breaking Down the Numbers:
• Total Cholesterol (4.2 mmol/L) – Generally considered within a good range.
• Triglycerides (1.5 mmol/L) – A bit on the higher side of normal (optimal is usually below 1.3).
• HDL (0.9 mmol/L) – This is low (optimal is ≥1.2 for women and ≥1.0 for men). Low HDL increases cardiovascular risk.
• LDL (2.8 mmol/L) – This is within an acceptable range for most people, but for those at risk, a target below 2.6 or even 1.8 might be preferred.
• Non-HDL Cholesterol (3.3 mmol/L) – This is a key marker for atherogenic (bad) cholesterol, and below 3.4 is generally considered optimal.
• Chol/HDL Ratio (4.7) – This is moderately high (optimal is <4.0), indicating increased cardiovascular risk.
Why Might a Statin Be Recommended?
1. QRisk 12% – UK guidelines often recommend statins when QRisk is ≥10%, especially if other risk factors are present (e.g., high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, or family history).
2. Low HDL (0.9 mmol/L) – Low “good” cholesterol increases risk, as HDL helps clear excess cholesterol from arteries.
3. Triglycerides at 1.5 mmol/L – Slightly elevated, which can be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
4. Cholesterol/HDL Ratio (4.7) – A ratio over 4.0 suggests higher cardiovascular risk.
Should This Person Take a Statin?
• If they have additional risk factors (e.g., high blood pressure, diabetes, family history), then yes, a statin is likely beneficial.
• If they are otherwise healthy, they might discuss lifestyle changes first (low-carb Mediterranean diet, exercise, weight loss, stress management) and retest in a few months before committing to medication.
Thanks so much Goonerboy6661 vrry helpful. I am otherwise healthy so may go with lifestyle changes first.
Your blood work is perfectly okay. Are you ready to deal with the side effects that come with statins.? These medications work by preventing something while damaging another. It's best to try natural remedies like diet and exercise which is free from annoying side effects and keeps your body in a natural balance.
Thanks Sheffield55 think you're right. No harm trying diet/exercise first.
Try Bergamot as a natural supplement, easy to obtain on Ebay, Amazon etc. Plus Bennecol spread and drink from supermarkets.
Thank you HamishBoxer
Can only comment on me personally. My triglycerides range from 0.5 to 0.7 through combination of excercise and low carb. If I make homemade soup with lentils, broth mix and split peas then my trigs can go up to 1.5. My body does not deal well with carbs so I do avoid them including zero alchohol.
My Hdl ranges from 1.1 to 1.25 when through diet and excercise.
Ldl has a 1.3 risk score if its high while the triglycerides to hdl ratio has a 1.9 risk score you ideally should look to have a 1 to 1 as a bear minimum but anything under 1 is really what you should look for. Mines sits around 0.5.
When I was very unhealthy being overweight and my diet was all ultra processed foods my tigs were 2.5 and hdl was 0.79. My Q risk was 0.5 at this time.
Our work did a health check that was carried out by the NHS and for males everyone was below 1.
Thank you Cabgx2
I cannot believe that the Dr wouldn’t have advised you to try and improve diet (cut saturated fat). Definitely adopt this before you take statins. Your numbers are fine. Eat salmon, nuts, avacado to improve HDL.
Thank you Munners, I don't understand it either. Might try to increase HDL anyway.
Should be in the 3 regions
Looks to me that the main reason my chol/ HDL ratio is high is simply because my HDL is low.
HDL
Got some cholesterol readings, I don’t quite understand them.
Cholesterol Levels 
