Statins Raise Diabetes Risk: Experts Sound New Alarm Over Cholesterol Pill
Those on high doses of the cholesterol-busting pills are more prone to suffer dangerous spikes in blood sugar levels. Scientists say an unwanted by-product of the drug is a link to the chronic condition. Studies show those prescribed statins are less likely to develop heart disease but the downside is it appears to make them more vulnerable to Type 2 diabetes. Researchers found over-75s are a third more likely to be struck down if they are taking statins. But the risk increased to 50 per cent for those on higher doses of the tablets. Dr Mark Jones, who led the research, said: “We found almost 50 per cent of women in their late-70s and 80s in the study took statins and five per cent were diagnosed with new onset diabetes. What is most concerning was we found a ‘dose effect’ where the risk of diabetes increased as the dosage of statins increased. “Over the 10 years of the study most of the women progressed to higher doses of statins. GPs and their elderly female patients should be aware of the risks.” The study will reignite debate over the safety of a drug taken by millions of Britons each day. A large-scale British review last year showed statins were the safest and most effective way of preventing heart attack and stroke but they still remain highly controversial. Professor Alan Sinclair, director of the Foundation for Diabetes Research in Older People, said: “Statin use and increased diabetes risk is not new and clinicians must continue to minimise risk due to the adverse effects of these drugs by careful prescribing but at the same time recognise clear cardiovascular benefits from their use. We found almost 50 per cent of women in their late-70s and 80s in the study took statins “In older people, who are already at increased diabetes risk from other cau Continue reading >>
Statin Side Effects: Weigh The Benefits And Risks
Statin side effects can be uncomfortable, making it seem like the risks outweigh the benefits of these powerful cholesterol-lowering medications. Doctors often prescribe statins for people with high cholesterol to lower their total cholesterol and reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke. While statins are highly effective, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people and may rarely cause liver damage. Statins include atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Altoprev), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor). Having too much cholesterol in your blood increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Statins block a substance your liver needs to make cholesterol. This causes your liver to remove cholesterol from your blood. If you think you're experiencing side effects from statins, don't just stop taking the pills. Talk to your doctor to see if a change of dosage or even a different type of medication might be helpful. What are statin side effects? Muscle pain and damage One of the most common complaints of people taking statins is muscle pain. You may feel this pain as a soreness, tiredness or weakness in your muscles. The pain can be a mild discomfort, or it can be severe enough to make your daily activities difficult. Oddly enough, most randomized controlled studies of statins indicate that people taking statins develop muscle pain at the same rate as people taking placebo. But up to 29 percent of the people who start taking statins report muscle pain and many discontinue statins because of it. Many of these people do well when they are switched to a different variety of statin. Very rarely, statins can cause life-threatening muscle damage call Continue reading >>
Statins And Type 2 Diabetes: What You Need To Know
Statins are a type of drug prescribed to patients with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. They work by blocking a substance needed to make LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, in your liver. As it travels through the blood, LDL cholesterol deposits fatty particles on the arterial walls in the heart and brain. Over time, buildup can cause a blockage that can lead to heart attack or stroke. Statins help lower LDL cholesterol. This can lower your risk of stroke and heart attack. Statins also help to: reduce inflammation improve the health of the lining of blood vessels reduce the risk of blood clots Statins have been used for more than 25 years. In February 2012, though, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised health providers and consumers that the use of statins may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Statins are usually safe and provide many benefits. As with many drugs, you and your doctor must weigh the pros and cons of taking a statin drug. The FDA still believes in the benefits of statins. The 2012 announcement isn’t meant to urge all people to stop taking statins. Rather, it advises doctors to monitor the blood sugar levels of their patients who take these drugs. The American Diabetes Association states that the benefits of taking a statin outweigh the risk of acquiring diabetes. The American Heart Association suggests that there isn’t enough data to support stopping your statin use if you have type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a disorder that affects how much insulin your body releases, how your body uses it, or both. Insulin is a hormone your pancreas makes and releases after your body breaks food down into glucose. The hormone helps transport the glucose from your blood into your body’s cells, where it is us Continue reading >>
Do Statins Increase Your Diabetes Risk?
Some news reports have suggested that if you take statins you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. We find out the truth behind the headlines. New research has suggested that statins can increase the risk of diabetes in those who are already at high risk. The report has received widespread news coverage, although the link between statins and diabetes is not a new finding. And the researchers emphasised that this does not mean that you should stop taking statins if you’ve been prescribed them. What’s new about this research is that it focused on people who are at high risk of diabetes. The researchers said that previous studies have used participants who were relatively low risk of diabetes. This new study, from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, studied overweight people who already had raised blood sugar levels – a condition sometimes known as pre-diabetes. The link between statins and diabetes is not a new finding The report says: “For individual patients, a potential modest increase in diabetes risk clearly needs to be balanced against the consistent and highly significant reductions in heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular death associated with statin treatment.” Prof Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study indicates that statins can increase the onset of diabetes in some people. However, it does not mean that people should stop taking their statins as there is no doubt they save lives. People who are prescribed statins should not worry, and should continue to take their statins as normal. They can speak to their GP or call the BHF’s Heart Helpline on 0300 330 3311 if they have any concerns.” The research The research, published in the British Medical Journal, used data fr Continue reading >>
Statin Use And Risk Of Diabetes Mellitus
Go to: STATINS IN DIABETES Statins are used for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Other benefits due to statins are not mediated by their lipid lowering properties[8] but due to its pleiotropic effects. In conditions like heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, vascular disease and hypertension the non-lipid lowering pleotropic benefits of statins have been observed[9]. These pleiotropic effects mediated by statins can be due to inhibition of isoprenoid synthesis which in turn inhibits intracellular signaling molecules Rho, Rac and Cdc42. The predominant mechanism that has been postulated is inhibition of Rho and its activation to Rho kinase[10]. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. The insulin resistance contributes to the abnormal lipid profile associated with type 2 diabetes[11]. Dyslipidemia contributes to increased cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes[12]. A linear relationship exists between cholesterol levels and cardiovascular diseases in diabetics even if we ignore the baseline LDL[13]. By predominantly lowering LDL-Cholesterol and due to minor effects on other lipoproteins, statins appear to be beneficial[12]. In Heart Protection Study which was done in diabetics, the decrease in cardiovascular events like first major coronary event, stroke were to the tune of 22% as compared to placebo[14]. It was recommended by American Diabetes Association that statin therapy should be initiated in individuals with diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors with target LDL cholesterol of 100 mg/dL[15]. Investigators are also of the opinion that statin therapy should depend not on the LDL levels but the cardiovascular complications accompanying diabetes[16]. Other studies wh Continue reading >>
Statin Use Linked To Increased Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
Statin use is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes among high-risk individuals, a new study reports. Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs prescribed to reduce cardiovascular risks, but a variety of studies have shown the drugs have an association with type 2 diabetes development. These new findings were from a long-term US study of 3,234 patients at high risk of type 2 diabetes, all of whom had elevated BMIs and blood sugar levels. Participants took part in the US Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS) and were randomised to receive different interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes. These included an intensive lifestyle programme, metformin treatment or a placebo drug. They were then followed for an average of 10 years. Fewer than four per cent of participants took statins at the study's start, but this figure increased to around a third of participants after 10 years. Moreover, statin use was associated with heightened type 2 diabetes risk irrespective of which treatment group a patient belonged to. Overall, statin use was associated with a 36 per cent increased risk of type 2 diabetes development compared to those who did not take the drugs. No link was observed between statin potency in diabetes risk, nor in regard to LDL cholesterol. While this was an observational study and no causal link between statin use and diabetes risk can be made, the researchers point to evidence suggesting that statins can impair insulin production. This, they believe, could help explain the diabetes risk. They added, however, that the potential increased risk of diabetes should always be weighed carefully against any benefits of statins, which include reduced risk of a heart attack and stroke in certain groups of people. The findings appear online in the online jo Continue reading >>
Do Statins Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk?
I read that taking rosuvastatin (Crestor) may increase the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Is this true for other statins? I'm a 55-year-old woman who is taking a low dose of Lipitor. My last fasting blood sugar showed that I'm at a pre-diabetes stage. You are correct. There is concern that at least two of the statin drugs, Crestor and simvastation (Zocor), are associated with an increased risk of the development of type 2 diabetes. A recent meta-analysis (pooled data from several studies) suggests there may be one additional case of diabetes for every 498 patients treated. However, statin therapy prevented one major cardiovascular event (stroke or heart attack) for every 155 patients treated. Every medicine that we take has potential benefit and potential risk. A reasoned and individual decision needs to be made between the health care provider and the patient regarding what is best. The risks of statins include a small incidence of liver and muscle problems which almost always resolve with stopping the medicine. Besides the recent link to type 2 diabetes, there is also some work that indicates statins occasionally cause reversible memory problems. On the plus side, there is no doubt that statins decrease cholesterol build up in the blood vessels that go the heart and the brain. They can even help "melt away" plaque build-up that is already there. When those vessels get clogged, heart attacks and strokes can occur. In a study recently published, people on statins when their cancer was diagnosed (as compared to those not on statins) had better survival and less metastatic disease. Statin use has also been associated with less Parkinson's disease and less Alzheimer's disease. The higher your risk for cardiovascular events, the more absolute benefit is derived from stati Continue reading >>
Statins Increase The Risk Of Developing Diabetes In At-risk People
Among susceptible individuals, statins — which are a common cholesterol-lowering medication — could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30 percent. These new findings are sure to reignite debate. Statins lower cholesterol by reducing its production in the liver. They do this by blocking an enzyme called hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, which is involved in its manufacture. Statins are one of the most widely prescribed types of drug in the United States. Between 2011 and 2012, over a quarter of U.S. adults over the age of 40 were taking cholesterol-lowering medication. The vast majority of these drugs were statins. Alongside their cholesterol-lowering ability, statins also have positive effects on inflammation and oxidative stress. Taken together, it would be unsurprising if statins helped to reduce the risk of developing diabetes. But the reverse may well be true. Evidence is mounting that long-term statin use could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. The first study to mention this potential effect was published in 2008. Between then and now, many meta-analyses have been carried out. Some have added evidence supporting a link between statin use and type 2 diabetes, while others have brought such a link into question. Therefore, a definitive answer is yet to be found. Reopening the statin-diabetes debate Many previous studies that pointed out a link did not specifically set out to investigate diabetes and statins; their prime focus was on cardiovascular events. Because the number of diabetes cases within the experimental groups was low, it was difficult to get a good understanding of the associated risks. So, to take a fresh look at this interaction, researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, NY, decided to focus th Continue reading >>
Statin-induced Diabetes: Incidence, Mechanisms, And Implications
Go to: Emergence of new diabetes in RCTs A clinically relevant concern with statin therapy is a significantly increased risk of new-onset diabetes in patients on statin therapy. The JUPITER trial reported a 25% increase with rosuvastatin 20 mg, over a median follow-up of 1.9 years, compared to those on placebo 9. Since then, several meta-analyses have confirmed a smaller but significant increase with various statins ( Table 1). The analysis by Sattar et al. in 91,140 subjects showed a 9% overall risk in 13 RCTs over a mean period of 4.0 years (odds ratio [OR] 1.09; 95% CI 1.02–1.17) 10. In a subsequent meta-analysis of five intensive-dose statin trials, Preiss et al. reported a significant increase in diabetes incidence with more intensive- vs. moderate-dose statin (OR 1.12; 95% CI 1.04–1.22) in 32,752 subjects over a mean follow-up of 4.9 years 11. In general, there was no relationship between % LDL-C reduction and incident diabetes. Further analysis of baseline characteristics of the various trials reported a strong relationship between features of metabolic syndrome or pre-diabetes (age, body mass index [BMI], hypertension, fasting glucose, and triglycerides) at baseline and subsequent development of diabetes 12– 14. Of note, the risk–benefit ratio for CVD still clearly favored statin therapy in various studies, including JUPITER, in primary prevention 13, several secondary prevention studies 12, 14, and a meta-analysis of secondary prevention studies by Preiss et al. 11. Thus, regardless of whether or not diabetes was diagnosed during statin therapy, the CVD outcomes were reduced on statin therapy compared to those observed with placebo. Authors n Age (years) Duration of follow-up (years) Adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) Comments Sattar et al. 1 Continue reading >>
Do Statins Increase The Risk Of Developing Diabetes?
Do statins increase the risk of developing diabetes? Valley Family Medicine Residency, Renton, Wash Advocate Illinois Masonic Family Medicine Residency, Chicago 1. Sattar N, Preiss D, Murray HM, et al. Statins and risk of incident diabetes: a collaborative meta-analysis of randomised statin trials. Lancet. 2010;375:735-742. 2. Preiss D, Seshasai SR, Welsh P, et al. Risk of incident diabetes with intensive-dose compared with moderatedose statin therapy: a meta-analysis. JAMA. 2011;305:2556-2564. 3. Carter AA, Gomes T, Camacho X, et al. Risk of incident diabetes among patients treated with statins: population-based study. BMJ. 2013;346:f2610. 4. Freeman DJ, Morrie J, Sattar N, et al. Pravastatin and the development of diabetes mellitus: evidence for a protective treatment effect in the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study. Circulation. 2001;103:357-362. 5. Wang KL, Liu CJ, Chao TF, et al. Statins, risk of diabetes and implications on outcomes in the general population. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012;60:1231-1238. 6. Stone NJ, Robinson JG, Lichtenstein AH, et al; American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. 2013 ACC/AHA guideline on the treatment of blood cholesterol to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2014;129:S1-S45. Yes. Statin therapy produces a small increase in the incidence of diabetes: one additional case per 255 patients taking statins over 4 years (strength of recommendation [SOR]: A, meta-analysis). Intensive statin therapy, compared with moderate therapy, produces an additional 2 cases of diabetes per 1000 patient years (SOR: B, meta-analysis with significant heterogeneity Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes And Statins Link: Do The Cholesterol-busting Drugs Increase Risk?
Scientists have linked the condition to taking statins, which are prescribed to lowers levels of high cholesterol. High cholesterol can increase the risk of heart attack or a stroke and even increase the risk of heart disease. Statins are one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the UK. There has been much controversy surrounding statins over the past few decades, with many experts questioning if the benefits of the drugs still outweigh any potential risks. However, a study has revealed taking statins can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The use of statins in people aged 60 and over increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by nine per cent, according to a new study. The researchers, from the University of Glasgow, stressed the risk is low, especially when compared with the beneficial effect that statins have on reducing heart problems. The study, which was published in The Lancet looked at more than 91,000 people prescibred the medication. Earlier this year, researchers from the University of Queensland found women over 75 face a 33 per cent higher chance of developing diabetes if they are taking statins. Experts said the risk also increase to over 50 per cent for women taking higher doses of statins. Dr Mark Jones, from the University of Queensland, said: “We found that almost 50 per cent of women in their late seventies and eighties in the study took statins and five per cent were diagnosed with new-onset diabetes.” He said: “Statins are highly prescribed in this age group but there are very few clinical trials looking at their effects on older women.” Researchers from UCL and the University of Oxford have since revealed that the slight increase in risk of developing type 2 diabetes during statin treatment could be a consequen Continue reading >>
Statins Linked To Increased Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
Statins linked to increased risk of Type 2 diabetes Studies have shown a modest increase in diabetes risk among patients takingstatinsCredit:Press Association Lowering the "bad" form of cholesterol with statin drugs could increase diabetes risk, a study suggests. Scientists found that people with naturally lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were less likely to develop heart disease but slightly more vulnerable to Type 2 diabetes. Reducing LDL levels by takingstatinsmay have the same effect, they believe. Lead researcher Dr Michael Holmes, from Oxford University, said: "What we've shown in this study is that the role played by blood lipid levels in disease is a complex one. "While the effect of taking LDL cholesterol-lowering drugs such asstatinsmay slightly increase a person's risk of developing diabetes this effect is greatly outweighed by their benefits in the form of preventing people from suffering from a life-altering heart attack or stroke." The team analysed large data sets of information about genetic make-up to tease apart the possible effects on heart disease and diabetes risk of LDL and so-called "good" cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is said to be protective. They also looked at the influence of triglyceride blood fats which are associated with heart disease. Cases of heart disease were more likely to occur among people with genetic mutations that increased their levels of LDL or triglycerides, the research showed. But genetic variants that raised either LDL or HDL cholesterol levels, and possibly triglyceride levels, slightly reduced the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes. Continue reading >>
Statin Induced Diabetes And Its Clinical Implications
Go to: INTRODUCTION “Then comes the question, how do drugs, hygiene and animal magnetism heal? It may be affirmed that they do not heal, but only relieve suffering temporarily, exchanging one disease for another”. Statins are one of the most widely prescribed groups of drugs in the world. Although statins have been shown to be beneficial in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a number of trials, current reports of increased risk of type 2 diabetes with statin use are of concern. As a result of these reports, on February 28, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration added new safety label changes for the statin class of cholesterol-lowering drugs regarding the potential for increased hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose. The present review discusses the evidence available from clinical trials and meta-analyses regarding possible diabetogenic effect of statins, probable mechanisms of this association and how these new observations might change clinical approach to statin use. Continue reading >>
Statins Increase Diabetes Risk By Up To 50% In Older Women
Statins Increase Diabetes Risk by up to 50% in Older Women Statin therapy increases the risk of new-onset diabetes in elderly women by 33%, and the higher the dose, the greater the risk, a new analysis of the observational Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health shows. "Clearly, statins have beneficial effects, including a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events; however, the dose-response effect we observed suggests that it may be wise to avoid using higher doses of statins in older women," lead author Mark Jones, MD, senior lecturer, school of public health, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, told Medscape Medical News in an email. "GPs and their elderly female patients should be aware of the risks," Dr Jones added in a University of Queensland statement, noting that those elderly women taking statins "should be carefully and regularly monitored for increased blood glucose to ensure early detection and management of diabetes." And, he and his colleagues suggest, it may be the case that statins could be stopped altogether in some elderly women. Women Take Statins on Average, for 6.5 Years The new analysis included 8372 Australian women aged between 76 and 82 years at baseline who were followed for 10 years; it is published in the March issue of Drugs and Aging. Dr Jones and colleagues note that the majority of participants in statin trials have been males and that females, especially elderly ones, have been underrepresented. "Our group has expertise and experience in women's health, including being involved with the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health for the past 20 years, and we focused on the older cohort of women [in this study] because we thought this is a population that has generally not been included in clinical tria Continue reading >>
Statins And Risk Of New-onset Diabetes Mellitus
Why Should High Cholesterol Be Treated? Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of illness and death worldwide. Elevated blood cholesterol levels (specifically the low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol) are associated with a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. It has become clear that elevated LDL cholesterol levels predict future events, and modern risk scores such as the Framingham Risk Score use LDL cholesterol level as an important predictor of future cardiac events.1 In addition, as new large trials shed light on the important role of LDL in cardiac disease, the optimal LDL cholesterol level has been progressively lowered in national guidelines. What Are Statins? Statins are a class of medications called 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors. These drugs block a critical step in the production of LDL cholesterol in the liver, thereby reducing the blood levels of LDL cholesterol. Aside from lowering LDL, statins reduce inflammation and promote health of the lining of the blood vessels. Currently, the statin class of drugs collectively is the most commonly prescribed class of medication used to treat high LDL cholesterol. In general, statins are safe and well tolerated. If common and minor adverse effects (eg, muscle aches) develop, switching to another statin or altering the dose or frequency of administration may be recommended. Some studies report memory loss for patients using statins, which reverse when stopping the statin. The risk of more severe effects (eg, liver failure or muscle inflammation) is quite rare, and close monitoring with attention to interacting medications can help to prevent them. How Beneficial Are Statins, and Are There Alternatives? Statins have a long track record of improving clinical outcomes Continue reading >>
