Statins to lower cholesterol for people with CKD

[AFCWombles]

Hi,

My GP pharmacist contacted me yesterday to say that at 4.9 the surgery believes my cholesterol levels are too high for someone with CKD. I have been advised to start taking Atorvastatin 20mg once a day.

I said I would ask the team at Guy's as they have specialist knowledge and monitor and manage my condition.

I would appreciate your thoughts, please.

Many thanks,

Brendan

[coal1]

Dear Brendan

There has recently been a change in targets for us patients with CKD3. You did not mention what your eGFR is and if this is in the CKD3 range then the fact that you have that puts you at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease.

Total cholesterol levels are something of the past and we now look at LDL ( low density lipoprotein) or non HDL ( high density) cholesterol.

Targets are:

LDL less than 2.0 mmol/L or

a non-HDL level of less than 2.6 mmol/L

You did not state those values.

So in conclusion in order to protect you from cardiovascular disease it is advisable to take the statin earlier rather than later and you have to keep increasing the statin until you reach the above levels.

Unfortunately we are all at higher risk due to the fact that most of us have CKD3. Just like diabetes puts you at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease as well.

Hope that makes sense.

[AFCWombles Administrator in reply to coal1]

Many thanks for that. It was literally just a call at which I was given the 4.9 headline figure. I intend researching the benefits vs side effects of such a move and make my decision, although I am more in the mindset of why wouldn't I take the statins than why would I.

Stay healthy...relatively speaking!