Cardiovascular disease prevention: statins for people newly diagnosed with hypertension or T2DM

  • NICE indicator
  • IND162
  • Published:
  • Last updated:
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Indicator

In those patients aged between 25 and 84 years, with a new diagnosis of hypertension or type 2 diabetes recorded in the preceding 12 months (excluding those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, familial hypercholesterolaemia or type 1 diabetes), who have a recorded cardiovascular risk assessment score of more than 20% in the preceding 12 months: the percentage who are currently treated with statins (unless there is a contraindication).

Indicator type

General practice indicator suitable for use in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.

This document does not represent formal NICE guidance. For a full list of NICE indicators, see our menu of indicators.

To find out how to use indicators and how we develop them, see our NICE indicator process guide.

Rationale

The indicator aims to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and prevent future cardiovascular events in people with a new diagnosis of hypertension or type 2 diabetes. For the primary prevention of CVD, NICE's guideline on cardiovascular disease recommends initiating statin therapy with atorvastatin 20 mg and also recommends that all other modifiable CVD risk factors should be optimised before statin therapy for primary prevention is offered.

Specification

Numerator: The number of patients in the denominator who are currently treated with statins (unless there is a contraindication).

Denominator: The number of patients aged between 25 and 84 years with a new diagnosis of hypertension or type 2 diabetes, recorded in the preceding 12 months (excluding those with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, familial hypercholesterolaemia or type 1 diabetes), who have a recorded cardiovascular disease risk assessment score of more than 20% in the preceding 12 months.

Calculation: Numerator divided by the denominator, multiplied by 100.

Definitions:

  • Cardiovascular disease is defined as angina, previous myocardial infarction, revascularisation, stroke or TIA or symptomatic peripheral arterial disease.

  • Full formal cardiovascular disease risk assessment. NICE guidance recommends QRISK3 for full formal cardiovascular disease risk assessment however the indicator allows for additional coded tools to be used dependent on local practice.

Exclusions: None.

Personalised care adjustments or exception reporting should be considered to account for situations where the patient declines, does not attend or if the indicator is not appropriate.

Expected population size: The indicator is under review and work to identify the population size is ongoing.