We have written to you because you have recently had a blood test which checked your cholesterol levels.
-If your Qrisk is more than 10%, we would suggest you start a medication to lower your cholesterol.
We ask that you read the information below before you book an appointment with the practice nurse of pharmacist, to best inform you on what your options are.
-If your Qrisk is between 5-10%, lifestyle and diet changes are advised. More information on this can be found below.
What does my Qrisk score mean?
When we received your cholesterol result, we used your level to calculate the risk of you suffering from heart disease or a stroke in the next 10 years. Amongst other things, this calculation took into account your age, sex, blood pressure, relevant medical conditions and smoking status. The text you received tells you your personal risk score, or Qrisk. For example, if your Qrisk is 8%, in effect for every 100 patients with the same levels of risk, 8 of them would be at risk of a stroke or heart disease in the next 10 years. Similarly, if your Qrisk is 26%, for every 100 patients with the same levels of risk, 26 of them would be at risk of a stroke or heart disease in the next 10 years.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a natural fatty substance in your blood. It’s produced in the liver and it's also in some of the foods we eat. Cholesterol is important to keep the cells in our bodies healthy.
High cholesterol means that you have too much cholesterol in your blood. There are many things that can cause this including eating too much saturated fats, being physically inactive, smoking and other factors we can’t control like our age, sex, genes and ethnic background.
‘Non-HDL’ is known as 'bad' cholesterol. Too much non-HDL leads to a build up of fatty deposits inside the walls of the blood vessels. This builds up and narrows blood vessels, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
What can I do to reduce this risk?
Reducing your cholesterol, whatever the level is currently, will help to reduce the risk of having a stroke or heart disease. Reducing your blood pressure (if it is high), stopping smoking, increasing exercise and being a healthy weight are also things you can do to help
More information on dietary advice can be found (copy and paste link)
https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/cholesterol.html (copy and paste link)
Do I need medication?
There is national guidance stating that patients with a stroke/heart disease risk (Qrisk) above 10% should be offered cholesterol lowering medication (also called statins). There is good evidence that taking statins lowers your risk of heart disease/stroke.
Here is a useful video link for more information about statins. (copy and paste links)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f58HVKAItI&t=1s
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/statins/
If you would like to discuss starting this medication please make a routine appointment (this can be over the phone) with the practice nurse or pharmacist.
Do I need to check my cholesterol again?
If you start a statin, you will need you bloods checked 3 months and 12 months after starting the medication to check your cholesterol levels and to monitor your liver function. From then on, you will need an annual review of your medication.
Depending on your Qrisk score, if you decide not to start a statin or your Qrisk is less than 10%, we would advise that you monitor your cholesterol every 1-2 years. For more information on this, please contact the GP surgery.