Mid/High Cholesterol

[Carmen866]

Hi , I’m on HRT and low dose blood pressure meds , I had my routine blood tests done recently and my overall cholesterol is 5.7 LDL 3.9 which is borderline for statins .

Its quite hard to get a GP appointment at my Dr’s surgery but the practice pharmacist phoned me to discuss the results she said that due to my mum having vascular dementia it would be advisable to start a low dose of statin now as prevention of plague build up in my brain . I am like so many planning on starting a new health regime in the new year and more exercise but she feels that this alone won’t necessarily bring down the LDL enough .

I’m hoping to speak to a Dr after Christmas about my risks my dad was as sharp as a pin until he sadly passed away aged 86 but genes are a soup of both parents so there is a chance that I could develop this disease.
I am being a bit irrational thinking about side effects of aching joints , some say memory problems on Statins which isn’t clinically proved .
Is anyone on statins as a preventative measure ?
any advice please to some it might seem like a no brainer to start statins .

Everyone eventually ends up meeting the criteria for statins. Practically every patient I meet over 60, male or female, is on statins.

A few people my mother choose not to, but honestly they are universal.

Why not start them and if you get the aching joints stop or switch to another?

Thankyou for your reply , the dementia aspect does worry me sick , the question is would statins significantly reduce my chances of developing it ?
my friend had achy joints and hair loss on statins
Also I’ve told some Dr’s prescribe Simvastatin first then Atorvastatin apparently Simvastatin has more side effects

It's unlikely that you would be given statins straight away without making lifestyle changes first- diet and exercise. You are just over the 5 , so it's not as if your reading is way over normal.

Also the 'plaque' that was mentioned - that's confusing me! People with dementia are found to have proteins laid down in the brain but that's not the same as the (cholesterol) plaque that sticks to artery walls and causes strokes and heart attacks.

You can find out loads about diet on the web but it's the usual things of reducing animal fat, fats in cakes and biscuits and ready meals that are not obvious, increasing fruit and veg to around 10 portions a day, increasing fibre (so wholegrains, brown rice, brown pasta, wholemeal bread, oats, etc).
And exercise daily- brisk walks for at least 30 mins everyday.
The advice is to do this for 3 months and retest.

Dementia is not always hereditary. Most of it is lifestyle related and it's now the biggest cause of death, having overtaken heart disease because people are living longer (and heart disease is often treatable with meds.)

@AnnaMagnani That's not my experience with my elderly family or indeed friends in their 60s and 70s. Not everyone ends up on statins and the jury is still out on it. Some medics believe everyone should be on them over 50, others are very much against that.

Lifestyle is the biggest factor in developing dementia.

You've only had ONE opinion from one pharmacist and that's not enough to make decisions on when there are many differing opinions.

The first thing to do is make lifestyle changes.

The best you can do it not smoke, exercise, eat well, keep sociable, keep your brain working by learning new things.

My understanding is that there is a genetic test for Alzheimer's if there is a strong family history but not everyone want to know anyway and it's not always accurate. And Alzheimer's is just one type of dementia- there are 4 kinds. My dad didn't have Alzheimer's.

The Alzheimer website might help you with your choices on statins etc and family risk.

Thankyou for your informative replies , all my mums sisters had dementia , as previously mentioned there is no history of dementia on my dads side to my knowledge but that doesn’t mean to say that I won’t get it . My mum was a heavy smoker all her life but she didn’t have a bad diet but she didn’t exercise .
I don’t have a terribly bad diet but enjoy the occasional junk food , I don’t smoke and have a drink occasionally , I do need to exercise more though
I don’t think that I would want a dementia test .

My opinion, for what it's worth, is you should try making changes to your diet and exercise and keep being tested every few months. There is no proof that taking statins prevent dementia. Statins are to prevent stroke and heart attacks and poor cardio vascular health may be linked to dementia - but lifestyle can do a lot.

FWIW a friend of mine recently had an increase in their cholesterol- they are 70.
Theirs was the same as yours. Within a month it was down to 4.7 after cutting out their fave daily cheese and reducing animal fats.

Oh don’t I love cheese 🧀 but I’m feeling very focused on making my lifestyle better , I’m getting a bit older and realise it’s really important
Thankyou for your information

I don't think it's a no brainer by any means, but I think you should consider them rationally and not feel panicked into taking them any more than you should feel complacent about not taking them. You mention they were suggested to you because of the dementia risk, yet I saw a story only this week that full fat cream and cheese can help protect against dementia, I didn't read the piece but from the headline that seems contradictory for a start. I think you can quite safely wait until you see your GP for a proper discussion in the new year before deciding.

I'm now 65 and have been on blood pressure meds for around 15 years, and have only just started taking statins. My mum had vascular dementia, my dad is still fine at 92, both were on statins.

Back in the days when you could actually go and see your GP I had a long chat with my doctor. He was very sympathetic to the idea that if people had naturally higher cholesterol it probably wasn't worth worrying too much about. He asked me then if I wanted to take statins and when I said no he agreed that was fine.

My doctors give me an overall estimate of my chances of suffering a stroke or heart attack, expressed as a percentage, each year for my medication review, and I decided that when it reached 10% I would start taking statins. That happened this year, and I've been on them for a couple of months. FWIW I have noticed no side effects at all.

I discovered that a surprising number of my friends take statins and only one of them reported having terrible aches, and that was solved by changing to a different statin. They will monitor you if you start, you won't be condemned to taking drugs that don't agree with you for ever if that's worrying you.

You mention they were suggested to you because of the dementia risk, yet I saw a story only this week that full fat cream and cheese can help protect against dementia, I didn't read the piece but from the headline that seems contradictory for a start.

I saw that but it wasn't conclusive and showed a proven link. There are often many variables with things like that and of course some people's cholesterol doesn't change no matter that they eat.
There are also cardiologists who believe that high cholesterol is not a bad thing in itself.

My doctors give me an overall estimate of my chances of suffering a stroke or heart attack, expressed as a percentage, each year for my medication review, and I decided that when it reached 10% I would start taking statins.

@Carmen866 You can do this risk assessment ^^ using the online test qrisk.org

Unfortunately it's quite a blunt assessment and age is the biggest factor. And it doesn't include all weights! It starts at BMI 20 and mine is below that so it adjusts it as if your BMI is 20+.

A blood test also needs to include other markers in the blood, and inflammation. It's inflammation that is the root of most disease especially hardening of the arteries. Inflammation in the body can be reduced with diet and improved gut health - read the info on the Zoe website by Prof Tim Spector.

Even though my cholesterol was very high, the doctor wouldn’t give me statins because my q risk score was low. So it’s definitely not a given!

My Q risk is 5.1 , I’m still reading and will speak to my GP in the new year

My Q risk is 6.7, family history and BP always been high. My cholesterol has ramped up to 8.3 since menopause (I’m 53 and was early meno) I’ve tried diet etc but GP says it won’t come down naturally. I started statins, along with all the other bloody meds I’m on, hated them so haven’t taken. Cant make my mind up either way

If you had an early meno are you on HRT to help prevent cardio vascular disease (which is medical guidance.)

HRT prevents heart disease if started within 10 years of your last period and it can help with the ratio of good/ bad lipids.

What is you BMI? I've had great improvements with mounjaro. In 3 months my cholesterol dropped from 7.5 to 5.6 and LDL from 4.78 to 3.41.

I’ve had a battle with getting HRT, they won’t prescribe because of risk mum had breast cancer though very early on and over 70

I’m on statins, have had zero side effects. Ditto my sister. DH did initially but switched brand so now has no side effects too.

That is outdated and incorrect.
Disgraceful.

You should see a different dr who is more informed.

Your Mum's BC doesn't count.
There is masses of info on this on the cancer charity websites.
The risk is two first degree relatives at an early age. And even then it is a RISK - not a reason to avoid HRT.

I assume your GP hasn't discussed your risks of bone loss and heart disease with early menopause- which is also negligent.

It makes me so angry that some drs dismiss women's health in this way and then are left to deal with the consequences 10 years down the line.

Seriously- see another GP or if you can afford it, go privately.

@TheresOnlyOneWayOfLife Your GP ought to know that the risks of HRT DO NOT APPLY to anyone under 52 (average age of menopause) and using HRT for early menopause is recommended by all the experts - including NICE guidance.

Depending how long ago your periods stopped you should also be referred for a DEXA scan of your bones to assess any bone loss which can drop by 5% a year in the first 5 years after menopause.

So, 59, late menopause, just had a hysteroscopy, and hopefully back on HRT after a break. Needed to check slightly thickened womb.

My mum also had breast cancer but in her seventies. I also have a paternal Aunt and her daughter who died of breast cancer in their late 40s.

I have high BP, on BP meds, prediabetic just, high cholesterol, just. Slightly overweight, but only just. I come into the category of extremely healthy, worried well, but with minor issues and no symptoms, kind of person.

GP has no issues with me being on HRT, I don't take Statins as low qrisk. I just monitor all things, mammograms etc, try to live and eat well, and GP is very relaxed and supportive.