Self Care & Health Advice

You are receiving this leaflet because your QRISK score suggests you are at increased risk of CVD over the next 10 years, your blood test show that your cholesterol level is high, you have a chronic kidney disease (CKD) or all of the above.

Risk factors for CVD include:

• Age, gender, ethnicity.
• High blood pressure, cholesterol level, body mass index (height and weight).
• Smoking, alcohol intake.
• Medical conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease.
• Strong family history of heart disease (in relatives under 60 years).

Risk is the chance of something happening. It’s important to note that your risk of developing CVD is never zero and regardless of other risk factors, your risk naturally increases the older you get. 

Your QRISK score will tell you whether you are at low, moderate or high risk of developing CVD in the next 10 years.

• Low risk – QRISK2 score of less than 10%. This means that you have less than a one in ten chance of having a stroke or heart attack in the next 10 years and can be controlled with diet only unless there is strong family history or a very high cholesterol level.
• Moderate risk – QRISK2 of 10-20%. This means that you have between a one to two in ten chances of having a stroke or heart attack in the next 10 years, at this level of risk the GP would also recommend a statin to lower your cholesterol further other than dietary measures. If you are in this category please contact the surgery to speak to a GP.
• High risk – QRISK2 score of more than 20%. This means that you have at least a two in ten chance of having a stroke or heart attack in the next 10 years. We strongly recommend you start a statin.

NHS recommends that stains are offered to people with moderate or high QRISK score, those with very high cholesterol level and people with chronic kidney disease or with protein in their urine.

What are statins, how do they work and who are statins recommended for? 

Statins reduce the amount of ‘bad cholesterol in your blood.  They can lower your risk, making it less likely for you to have CVD. Even if you do not have high cholesterol levels, statins will still reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease in the future and help to keep your cholesterol at a healthy level.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that’s mainly made by the liver, though it’s also found in some foods.

It is essential for a healthy body. However, there are two types of cholesterol- Good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein), and Bad cholesterol (non-high-density lipoprotein, known as non-HDL).

If you have too much bad cholesterol in your blood, it can be laid down in the walls of your blood vessels. This can lead to blockages or reduced blood flow to vital organs causing cardiovascular disease.

You can follow a healthy lifestyle.

• Stop smoking
• Try to keep to a healthy weight. Be more active (walking is a good start)
• Eat a healthy balanced diet
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol
• Taking medication to reduce blood pressure if you have high blood pressure

If your blood tests show that you have CKD, this means that your kidneys do not work as well as they should. CKD is very common. If affects around one in ten people in the UK. It is quite normal for kidney function to reduce with age. The word “chronic” means that it is a long-term condition. Most people have very mild symptoms and are managed by their GP.

You can find out more at: https://kidneycareuk.org/kidney-disease-information/kidney-conditions/patient-info-ckd-chronic-kidney-disease/

Your heart and kidneys work together to keep you healthy. Your kidneys need a good blood supply to filter the blood effectively in the same way that your heart needs a good blood supply to work well. When your kidneys aren’t working properly, your body tries to boost blood supply to them, which leads to higher pressure in your blood vessels. This can force your heart to work harder.

It is your choice whether or not to take a statin, and whether or not to make lifestyle changes. But if you do not, your risk of cardiovascular disease will not be reduced and may rise in the future. The most effective way of reducing your risk is to take a statin and make lifestyle changes. If you would like to start taking a statin or would like to discuss your options, please contact our reception.

Examples of cardiovascular disease (CVD) include:

Narrowing of the arteries – this is when arteries become furred up and harden. As a result, less blood can flow through them. The medical name for this is atherosclerosis.

Angina – a dull, heavy or tight pain in the chest which can spread to the left arm, neck, jaw or back. It is caused by a restriction in blood flow to the heart muscle and often brought on by exercise.

A heart attack – a serious medical emergency. Blood supply to the heart muscle is completely blocked, often caused by a blood clot.

Coronary heart disease – the main arteries supplying the heart muscle become clogged with cholesterol-rich plaques.

Stroke – a serious medical emergency. Blood supply to the brain is completely blocked.

Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) or mini stroke – a temporary interruption in blood flow to the brain.

Peripheral artery/vascular disease (PAD or PVD) – occurs when blood flow to the legs (and/or arms) is restricted.

For further information follow the links below;

• https://www.heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol/overview
• https://patient.info/heart-health/cardiovascular-disease-atheroma/cardiovascular-health-risk-assessment
• https://www.heartuk.org.uk/getting-treatment/questions-about-statins