Of 500 GPs questioned, 40% said they would not routinely increase simvastatin doses to 80mg for patients who do not reach lipid targets on a 40mg dose. Of these, 72% cited tolerability concerns as a reason for not switching patients.
NICE guidelines on lipid modification recommend that doctors should consider switching such patients to simvastatin 80mg or a drug of similar efficacy.
Over two thirds of the GPs questioned believed that more than 10% of patients on simvastatin 80mg experienced side-effects severe enough to affect their compliance with treatment.
Last week, GP reported findings suggesting that the 80mg dose of simvastatin increased patients’ risk of myopathy.
tom.moberly@haymarket.com
Comment below and tell us what you think
