I cannot say I Have extensive experience because hypercholesterolaemia is usually dealt with by the pasediatricians. Usually in children the advice is to educate them to take a good low fat diet and drug therapy tends to be limited to resins.
THe drug data sheet compendium confrms my belief that licences have not been applied for to give children statins: the Pravastatin datasheet says there is insufficient evidence to give children (under 18 years) statins, the same is stated for bezafibrate, simvastatin, cerivastatin, ciprofibrate and fluvastatin. Atorvastatin and fenofibrate both indicate that children have been given the product but that experience is limited.
THe big question is how high is the child's cholesterol If it has homozygous FH, then other treatments are necessary, if it is lower but the child will not tolerate resins, then careful introduction of atorvastatin or fenofibrate may be indicated.
TIM
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Prof. T. Reynolds,
Clinical Chemistry Dept,
Queens Hospital,
Belvedere Rd.,
Burton-on-Trent,
STAFFS,
DE13 0RB.
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Tel: +44 (0)1283 511511 ext. 4035
Fax: +44 (0)1283 593064
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-----Original Message-----
From: c=GB;a=NHS;p=NHS NATIONAL INT;dda:RFC-822=acb-clin-chem-gen-request(a)mailbase.ac.uk;
Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2000 3:52 PM
To: c=GB;a=NHS;p=NHS NATIONAL INT;dda:RFC-822=ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN(a)mailbase.ac.uk;
Subject: statins & fibrates in children
Does anyone have extensive experience or advice on the use of statins &
fibrates in children and teenagers who are at very high risk of developing
coronary heart disease?
Peter Sharpe
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