Why are Doctors Under-Prescribing This Medication?

Many Americans who may benefit from taking cholesterol-lowering medications (statins) are not taking them. Why? Over half of them say their doctor didn’t give them the option. With heart disease being the leading cause of death for men and women, researchers are concerned that people with high cholesterol are not getting the information they need to make an informed decision regarding their health.

A recent study revealed that doctors are not prescribing statin medications to eligible individuals even though they have a proven track record of preventing cardiovascular disease and death. What’s more, many who start taking statins often stop taking them a few months later. These findings illustrate the need for doctors to have more thorough discussions with their patients regarding the use of cholesterol-lowering medications. The reasons people stop taking statins are listed below.

Why Are Statins Under-Prescribed?

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that a large percentage of people were not taking statins even though they met the medical criteria for taking them. When asked why they were not taking cholesterol-lowering medications, respondents gave some enlightening but shocking answers:

• 59 percent said their doctor did not offer the medication (Certain groups were less likely to be offered the medication, including women, African Americans and uninsured individuals—despite the relatively inexpensive cost of the drug.)
• 30.7 percent said they had taken statins but stopped
• 10 percent said they declined statins after their doctor recommended them

These findings have started a discussion within the medical community about how doctors are handling statins and their benefits with their patients. Statins have been found to be very effective at preventing cardiovascular disease and death.

Who Should Take Statins?

Approximately one-third of all American adults (about 78 million people) are eligible to take statins or other cholesterol-lowering medications. To be eligible, you must meet one or more of the following:

• Prior cardiac disease, stroke or angina
• LDL cholesterol level greater than 190 mg/dL
• Age 40-75 with diabetes and LDL of 70-189 mg/dL
• Age 40-75 with LDL of 70-189 mg/dL and an estimated 10-year risk of heart disease (7.5 percent or higher risk)

If you meet any of these criteria and are not currently taking a cholesterol-lowering medication, you should discuss the pros and cons of starting one with your doctor.

Why People Refuse Statin Therapy

Many people who are prescribed statins do not stay on them. A 2017 study showed that only 55 percent of people who begin taking statins are still taking it six months later. While there are many reasons why people stop taking their medications, about one-third reported they stopped taking the medication after experiencing side effects, such as muscle aches and changes in cognitive and liver function. Others simply don’t see the need for it or don’t like the idea of taking medication for the rest of their lives.

Although effective at reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke, statins are not being prescribed to or taken by eligible individuals in the numbers they should be. More frank discussions regarding cholesterol-reducing drugs are necessary to correct the issue.

Thank you to our friends at Healthy Research for contributing some of the research that went into this report.