Cholesterol and Chronic Kidney Disease
(this page is only relevant to patients who have been contacted directly)
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a long-term condition where the kidneys are not working as well as they used to. It can be due to aging or certain conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Research has shown that there is a clear link with reduced kidney function and an increased risk of developing heart disease. This means having an increased risk of having a heart attack or a stroke especially if you are above the age of 50 years. Chronic kidney disease patients are also more likely to have problems with narrowing of the blood vessels over time, compared to otherwise healthy people.
CKD Patients are twenty times more likely to die from heart-related problems than from kidney failure. This is why reducing risk factors is so important.
To reduce the risk of developing a heart attack or a stroke, the current National Guidance is to offer a cholesterol lowering tablets e.g. a ‘statin’ regardless of the starting cholesterol level. If you have tried statins in the past and not tolerated them, you may be offered the option of taking another cholesterol lowering tablet.
We would like to invite you to have an appointment to discuss starting a cholesterol lowering medication.
Please submit a Patchs request to speak to one of our Clinical Pharmacists to discuss your options.
We understand that despite the current guidance, many patients remain reluctant to take this step. Although we encourage starting a medication for your long term health, we also respect your decision not to. If we do not hear from you, we will assume that you are not interested in taking an extra tablet at the present time.
For further information and resources on Chronic Kidney Disease and cholesterol, please have a look at the useful links below:
