Sam Finnikin and colleagues argue that guidelines should focus less on population level risk thresholds and more on shared decision making conversations based on individualised risk and patient preferences Statins are the most prescribed medications in England with over 82 million prescriptions issued in the 12 months to July 2023.1 However, the 2023 update of guidelines from the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggested that they could now be given to millions more people with lower risk scores.2 The recommendations raised concerns about the reduced benefit for lower risk patients and extra workload for general practitioners, who already spend considerable amounts of their time managing risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).3 A change of emphasis is needed to achieve the overall goal of helping people make healthcare decisions based on effective risk communication, holistic care, and shared decisions. Statins have consistently been shown to reduce the risk o

Sam Finnikin and colleagues argue that guidelines should focus less on population level risk thresholds and more on shared decision making conversations based on individualised risk and patient preferences Statins are the most prescribed medications in England with over 82 million prescriptions issued in the 12 months to July 2023.1 However, the 2023 update of guidelines from the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggested that they could now be given to millions more people with lower risk scores.2 The recommendations raised concerns about the reduced benefit for lower risk patients and extra workload for general practitioners, who already spend considerable amounts of their time managing risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).3 A change of emphasis is needed to achieve the overall goal of helping people make healthcare decisions based on effective risk communication, holistic care, and shared decisions. Statins have consistently been shown to reduce the risk o