A simple cholesterol test will be offered in major pharmacies in a bid to reduce deaths from heart attacks and strokes over the next decade.
The finger prick blood test, which only takes seven minutes, will continue to be rolled out NHS this fall to about 100 chemists in England.
Around six in 10 adults in England have high cholesterol – when too many fatty plaques build up in the blood – which can clog arteries and lead to heart attacks and strokes.
However, most patients are unaware that they have the disease, leading some to call the disease a ‘silent killer’.
It is believed that around 170,000 deaths in Britain each year are caused by heart attacks and strokes.
Health chiefs hope the rollout of the new test, which patients can access for free at a pharmacy, can cut deaths by a quarter over the next decade.
Adults aged between 40 and 84 are eligible if they have not had an NHS blood test in the last year.
The results of the tests, which involve pricking the finger with a lancet – a small, sharp object that punctures the skin – are analyzed immediately.
The finger prick blood test, which takes just seven minutes, will be rolled out at approximately 100 pharmacies from this autumn
Once completed, prescribing pharmacists can provide lifestyle advice and say whether treatments such as statins – drugs used to lower cholesterol – are needed.
Patients receive their results by email and are also offered a blood pressure check.
Dr. Rani Khatib, an NHS heart disease prevention consultant, said: ‘This will help people control their risk factors earlier and reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke.’
David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer of NHS England, said: ‘We can spot ticking time bombs earlier by making it easier for people to get a quick and convenient health check on their local high street.
‘This is the latest in a series of initiatives in which pharmacies provide care that was previously only offered in GP practices.’
The system is the first of its kind and was unveiled at the annual conference of the European Society of Cardiology in Munich.
Testing will begin across England from this autumn and will be administered at 100 pharmacies in the first six months.
NHS England has not provided a specific rollout date or information on which pharmacies will offer the test.
The national rollout follows a successful pilot at Barts Health NHS Trust in London.
About 2,500 patients used the test and one in five was found to be at high risk of a heart attack or stroke over the next ten years.
About 88 people started taking statins, while others were referred for other treatments or given lifestyle advice.
Dr. Sotiris Antoniou, clinical lead for the program at Barts Health NHS Trust, said: ‘By scaling up this approach across England, we can support pharmacists to identify cardiovascular risks earlier and, importantly, take action on the results through timely advice and treatment.
“This has the potential to improve outcomes and reduce health inequalities, especially in communities where the burden of cardiovascular disease is greatest.”
Health Secretary Alison McGovern said: ‘This is exactly the kind of innovation we want to see across the NHS.
‘Early detection can help prevent serious conditions, help people stay healthier for longer and reduce pressure on NHS services.’
