GPs should ensure that patients with CKD are offered statins, according to the final quality standard published this week by NICE.
NICE has highlighted offering atorvastatin to patients with CKD as an important guideline for GPs to follow in order to improve the assessment and management of CKD.
The quality standard is based on published NICE guidance and lays out key areas that doctors need to address in order to ensure the best care for patients and see improvement in outcomes.
The standard recommends that all adult CKD patients are offered atorvastatin 20mg, as they have an increased cardiovascular risk and the drug has been shown to be both clinically and cost effective for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive at NICE, said: ‘We know that a high number of people with long-term kidney problems will develop cardiovascular disease. This means they have an increased risk of suffering a fatal heart attack or stroke.
‘It is important for healthcare professionals to speak to patients about their treatment options. The effectiveness of statins is now well proven, as is their long term safety. They may appeal to a lot of people who are at risk.’
Quality standard in full
Adults with or at risk of CKD should have their eGFRcreatinine and albumin:creatinine ratio tested at a frequency agreed with their doctor
- Monitoring key kidney function markers enables quicker diagnosis and intervention and reduce the risks of CKD progression
Adults with CKD should be supported to keep their blood pressure within the recommended range
- Maintaining blood pressure reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients with CKD
Adults with CKD should be offered atorvastatin 20mg
- Patients with CKD have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and atorvastatin is a clinically and cost effective way to reduce and manage this risk
Source: NICE
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