More than 800,000 people may have missed blood pressure pills and statins due to the Covid pandemic.
Almost half a million fewer people received new blood pressure pill prescriptions between April 2020 and July 2021, a new analysis shows.
The decrease in these prescriptions compared to pre-pandemic levels could mean that more than 13,000 people suffer from preventable cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes.
Meanwhile, about 316,000 fewer people received newly prescribed statins and similar cholesterol-lowering drugs during the pandemic.
Almost half a million fewer people received new blood pressure pill prescriptions between April 2020 and July 2021, new analysis shows
Meanwhile, around 316,000 people received fewer newly prescribed statins and similar cholesterol-lowering drugs during the pandemic
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People missed blood pressure tests and cholesterol blood tests due to lockdowns and Covid restrictions and these checks could not be done remotely as the number of phone calls increased during the pandemic.
Researchers tracked 1.32 billion prescription drugs dispensed to 15.8 million people in England, Scotland and Wales over the 16 months of the pandemic to determine the number of missed cases of high blood pressure, cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.
They conclude that almost 11,000 preventable cardiovascular events could still be prevented if people who missed blood pressure pills and statins during Covid were identified and prescribed within five years.
Professor Reecha Sofat, senior author of the study from the University of Liverpool, said: “These missed prescriptions and risk of cardiovascular events highlight the importance of being aware of blood pressure.
“People can measure their blood pressure at home using commercially available cuffs, or pharmacists can play a role in blood pressure measurement.
“During the pandemic, many people missed their normal routine MOT at a GP or developed high blood pressure during a doctor’s appointment, so we need to get those people now.
“Despite the incredible work of NHS staff, our data shows that we are still not identifying people with cardiovascular risk factors as quickly as we were before the pandemic.”
The study, supported by the British Heart Foundation and published in the journal Nature Medicine, found that from April 2020 to July 2021, around 16,700 fewer people were prescribed a new statin per month compared to 2019
The study, supported by the British Heart Foundation and published in the journal Nature Medicine, found that from April 2020 to July 2021, around 16,700 fewer people were prescribed a new statin per month than in 2019.
Around 27,000 people were prescribed fewer blood pressure pills each month.
However, the number of prescriptions for type 2 diabetes has increased, based on patient information from Health Data Research UK.
This may be partly due to more people developing the condition after gaining weight during lockdown.
According to the analysis, the forgotten blood pressure tablets alone could lead to 13,662 additional cardiovascular events in England, Wales and Scotland.
This includes nearly 2,300 other people with heart attacks, nearly 3,500 with strokes, more than 5,000 people with diagnosed angina and 1,205 with heart failure.
The 13,662 additional cardiovascular events are the total if people who did not receive blood pressure treatment during the pandemic never started medication.
If these people are found and treated with the pills within five years, the number of cardiovascular events will drop to 2,716.
DR Sonya Babu-Narayan, Deputy Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation, said: “Once again we are seeing strong evidence of the significant disruption to healthcare in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But it is not too late to limit the damage.
“These results show how restoring heart healthcare can reduce the additional burden that untreated risk factors such as high blood pressure would otherwise place on the NHS.
“We need to make it easier and more accessible for everyone to know their numbers, especially their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.”
Sir Chris Whitty, the UK’s chief medical officer, recently warned that thousands of middle-aged people will die of heart disease because they did not receive statins or blood pressure medication during the pandemic.
Drug watchdog Nice effectively scrapped statin approval criteria last week, meaning GPs can prescribe them to whomever they want, after a major study found they are safe and rarely cause side effects.
Professor Bryan Williams, chair of medicine at University College London, said: “These data demonstrate the potential impact of the pandemic on disrupting routine disease prevention.
“It is also emphasized that the care model must be urgently revised.
“Patients don’t need to go to the doctor to check their blood pressure and have their treatment administered – there are much better and more efficient ways to do this that are more convenient and efficient for patients.
“This is perhaps the most important conclusion of this study.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
