Quality standard

Quality statement 8: 3‑month statin review

Quality statement 8: 3‑month statin review

Quality statement

Adults on lipid-lowering treatment have a repeat measurement of full lipid profile and liver transaminases at 2 to 3 months of treatment.

Rationale

Repeating lipid profiles and measuring liver transaminases is important for patient safety and to ensure the effectiveness of lipid-lowering treatment. A repeat lipid profile can be used to determine whether the expected cholesterol levels have been met. Repeat measurement of liver transaminase is important to detect any increased levels of these enzymes, which may indicate problems with liver function.

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly. The quality measures use a timeframe of 3 months for measurement purposes.

Structure

Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that adults on lipid-lowering treatment have a repeat measurement of full lipid profile and liver transaminases at 3 months of treatment.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from local protocols.

Process

Proportion of adults on lipid-lowering treatment who have had a repeat measurement of lipids and liver transaminases at 3 months of treatment.

Numerator – the number in the denominator who have had a repeat measurement of lipids and liver transaminases at 3 months of treatment.

Denominator – the number of adults prescribed lipid-lowering treatment for at least 3 months.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient records.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (primary care services) ensure that adults on lipid-lowering treatment have a repeat measurement of lipids and liver transaminases at 2 to 3 months of treatment. Evidence should be made available on request to commissioners.

Healthcare professionals (such as GPs and nurses) take a repeat measurement of lipids and liver transaminases at 2 to 3 months of treatment for adults on lipid-lowering treatment.

Commissioners should monitor whether adults on lipid-lowering treatment have a repeat measurement of lipids and liver transaminases at 2 to 3 months of treatment. Commissioners may wish to stipulate this in any local enhanced service specifications.

Adults taking medicine to reduce their chance of a heart attack or stroke in the future have a review 3 months after their treatment starts to see if the medicine is reducing their cholesterol levels and to check it is not affecting their liver.