HEALTHCARE professionals are being urged to offer statins to millions of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to help manage their increased risk of cardiovascular disease, says the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
CKD is associated with ageing and affects around 2.6 million people in England while approximately 60,000 people die prematurely each year because of the disease.
NICE deputy chief executive Professor Gillian Leng 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."
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