INVC,,
Delhi,,
Patients with heart artery blockages or those at risk of heart blockages who can tolerate anti cholesterol drug statin should be started on a moderate dose of a statin drug independent of the baseline bad LDL cholesterol levels, said Padmashri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal President Heart Care Foundation of India.
This is true even for patients with baseline bad cholesterol levels below goal or close to goal. Knowing very well that starting statins in these patients will reduce the bad LDL cholesterol levels well below the recommended goals a moderate statin dose should be started in these patients.
The patients at risk are:
1. Type 2 Diabetic men older than 40 years or diabetic women older than 45 years with one more heart blockage risk factor.
2. Type 2 Diabetic men older than 50 or diabetic women older than 55 years.
3. Men or women of any age with over 20 year duration diabetes (type 1 or type 2) with one more heart block risk factor.
4. Men or women of any age with over 25 year duration diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
5. Patients with symptomatic blockage in the neck carotid artery supplying blood to the brain
6. Patients with blockages in the leg arteries
7. Patients with aneurysm (abnormal enlargement) of the abdominal aorta.
8. Patients with multiple heart blockages risk factors and ten years heart attack risk of over 20%
9. Patients with chronic kidney disease with kidney functioning (eGFR) of less than 60
