Statins are safe for children with abnormal cholesterol levels
16 January 2018
![Statins are safe for children with abnormal cholesterol levels Statins are safe for children with abnormal cholesterol levels](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/cardiovascular/sites/cardiovascular/files/styles/large_image/public/Statin_Humphries.jpg?itok=GSzbwG_-)
Statins
are safe for children with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH), according to research directed by Professor Steve Humphries and published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology. FH is
estimated to affect over 56,000 children in the UK, but currently only around
600 children in the UK have been diagnosed. Using the FH Children’s Register
the research found that statins had no impact on the growth of children, and
did not lead to damage in the liver or muscles. Interestingly, obesity rates in
the registered children were half what is seen in UK children in general. This
is likely to be due to the lifestyle changes and dietary advice given to
children with FH. Press coverage of the article included Daily Mail, Mirror,
Telegraph and Times.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/up-to-56-000-children-may-get-statins-say-scientists-gbg3tcrw5
The UK Paediatric Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Register: Statin-related safety and 1-year growth data. Humphries SE, Cooper J, Dale P, Ramaswami U; FH Paediatric Register Steering Group. J Clin Lipidol. 2017 Nov 22. pii: S1933-2874(17)30514-7.