These statins have been prescribed quite freely in the past but GP’s are under utmost pressure to cut drugs bills. It’s essential that proper evaluation is carried out on the patient and that the right statin is prescribed.

Tests were carried out on patients that either had high cholesterol levels or high levels of a protein called hsCRP associated to heart disease by inflaming the arteries. Both groups benefitted enough from the drug to suggest that it should be a preventative measure available to everyone.

The drug in question, Crestor, is already getable on the NHS to patients with high cholesterol levels. For those tested, the incidents of heart attacks was reduced by 54 per cent, strokes reduced by 48 per cent and the requirement for bypass surgery was cut by 46 per cent.

The results of the tests were considered so impressive that the test was stopped half way through. It was thought unethical to keep giving half the patients placebos when the drug was having such benefits for all groups of people.

It’s expected that Crestor will cost 26 pounds a month for the recommended dosage whereas cheaper, less effective statins are being issued by doctors for 1.42 pounds a month. A huge price difference and a huge health benefit.