Do Statins Raise Odds For Type 2 Diabetes?
HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Oct. 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins may lower your risk of heart disease, but also might boost the odds you'll develop type 2 diabetes, new research suggests. "In a group of people at high risk of type 2 diabetes, statins do seem to increase the risk of developing diabetes by about 30 percent," said the study's lead author, Dr. Jill Crandall. She's a professor of medicine and director of the diabetes clinical trials unit at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. But, she added, that doesn't mean anyone should give up on statins. "The benefits of statins in terms of cardiovascular risk are so strong and so well established that our recommendation isn't that people should stop taking statins, but people should be monitored for the development of diabetes while on a statin," she explained. At least one other diabetes expert agreed that statins are still beneficial for those at risk of heart trouble. Dr. Daniel Donovan Jr. is professor of medicine and director of clinical research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Institute in New York City. "We still need to give statins when LDL (bad) cholesterol isn't under control. A statin intervention can lower the risk of a cardiovascular event by 40 percent, and it's possible the diabetes may have been destined to happen," he said. The new study is an analysis of data collected from another ongoing study. More than 3,200 adults were recruited from 27 diabetes centers across the United States for the study. The research goal was to prevent the progression of type 2 diabetes in people with a high risk of the disease, Crandall said. All of the study participants were overweight or obese. They also all Continue reading >>
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 >>
Statins And Diabetes – Time To Let The Cat Out Of The Bag
Recently, concerns have been raised about the increased risk of diabetes associated with statin therapy. However, it has been pointed out that the risk of diabetes is low in absolute terms and when compared with the reduction in cardiovascular events achieved by treatment. In other words, the potential benefits to health are believed to outweigh potential risks. Therefore, expert guidance regarding the use of statins in clinical practice has not changed. But is this how clinical medicine should be practiced? From a public health perspective a therapy that increases the risk of one disease at the same time it reduces the risk of another, may be acceptable, assuming the net effect will be positive in terms of general health risks. However, from the individual perspective the picture may be different. We may not be willing to accept treatment that might slightly reduce our risk of heart disease but could increase the risk of diabetes? What if we’re not one of the lucky ones. What if we get diabetes and don’t benefit in terms of cardiovascular risk. It’s a gambling game. Furthermore, we still don’t know why statins increase the risk of diabetes. There appears to be a complex interplay between cholesterol metabolism, insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes that needs further clarification. In fact, two recent papers may have cast some light on these issues. So much is at stake. Millions of people are taking statin drugs; many of them will not derive much benefit, and some will be harmed. It’s time to let the cat out of the bag. The Role of LDL Receptors In 1985, Michael S. Brown and Joseph L. Goldstein were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for revolutionizing our knowledge about the regulation of cholesterol metabolism and the treatment of disease Continue reading >>
Statins May Seriously Increase Diabetes Risk
TIME Health For more, visit TIME Health. Doctors may have to weigh a serious potential risk before prescribing statins, the cholesterol-lowering drugs that are among most prescribed drugs in America. In a study published in Diabetologia, scientists from Finland found that men prescribed statins to lower their cholesterol had a 46% greater chance of developing diabetes after six years compared to those who weren’t taking the drug. What’s more, the statins seemed to make people more resistant to the effects of insulin—which breaks down sugar—and to secrete less insulin. The impact on insulin seemed to be greatest among those who started out with the lowest, and closest to normal, levels of blood glucose. And the higher the dose of the statin, and the longer the patients took them, the greater their risk of diabetes. Previous studies have suggested that statins can raise blood sugar levels, and increase the risk of diabetes by anywhere from 10% to 20%, but none have documented an effect this large. Doctors often consider statins for patients who are at higher risk of heart disease, and one of the risk factors for future heart trouble is diabetes. So how do these results affect that decision? “It’s a good news-bad news scenario,” says Dr. Robert Eckel, past president of the American Heart Association and professor of medicine at University of Colorado School of Medicine. “Although there is convincing evidence that patients on statins are at increased risk of new-onset diabetes, the benefit accrued [from statins] in reducing risks of heart attack, stroke and fatal heart disease trumps the effects of being new onset diabetics.” In other words, the good that statins can do for people who are not yet diabetic but at higher risk of heart problems outweighs the Continue reading >>
Atorvastatin Lowers Cholesterol But Raises Blood Sugar
As many as 40 million people may be taking statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs daily in the U.S. Although medications like atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, and rosuvastatin can bring cholesterol levels down dramatically they can also raise blood glucose levels or make diabetes harder to control as this reader relates: Q. I used to have good blood sugar readings when I was on glyburide. Since I was put on atorvastatin to lower cholesterol I have had trouble with high blood sugar. I read in your Guide to Managing Diabetes that statins can affect blood glucose but the clinical pharmacist at the VA said you are wrong. She insisted that atorvastatin does not affect HbA1c or blood sugar. They now have me on both glipizide and Onglyza and the clinical pharmacist admitted that my HbA1c will not come down. She still insists I have to keep taking these medicines even if they are not working to control my diabetes. A. We are puzzled that your pharmacist was not aware of the official prescribing information for atorvastatin (Lipitor): “Increases in HbA1c and fasting serum glucose levels have been reported with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors [statins], including LIPITOR.” HbA1c is a measure of how high blood sugar levels have been over the past three months. Clinical trials and other studies have shown that statins can indeed raise blood sugar levels, making it harder to control diabetes. Blood Sugar and Statins: There is general agreement that statin therapy increases the risk of developing diabetes (Current Atherosclerosis Reports, Jan. 2015). Research has shown that there is a 10 to 12 percent increased incidence of new-onset type 2 diabetes in statin takers. The higher the dose and the more potent the statin the greater the risk. Investigators believe tha Continue reading >>
Could Statins Raise Diabetes Risk?
HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Certain statins -- the widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs -- may increase your chances of developing type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. The risk was greatest for patients taking atorvastatin (brand name Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor), the study said. Focusing on almost 500,000 Ontario residents, researchers in Canada found that the overall odds of developing diabetes were low in patients prescribed statins. Still, people taking Lipitor had a 22 percent higher risk of new-onset diabetes, Crestor users had an 18 percent increased risk and people taking Zocor had a 10 percent increased risk, relative to those taking pravastatin (Pravachol), which appears to have a favorable effect on diabetes. Physicians should weigh the risks and benefits when prescribing these medications, the researchers said in the study, which was published online May 23 in the journal BMJ. This does not, however, mean that patients should stop taking their statins, the experts said. The study also showed only an association between statin use and higher risk of diabetes; it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. "While this is an important study evaluating the relationship between statins and the risk of diabetes, the study has several flaws that make it difficult to generalize the results," said Dr. Dara Cohen, a professor of medicine in the department of endocrinology, diabetes and bone disease at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. "There was no data regarding weight, ethnicity and family history -- all important risk factors for the development of diabetes." Cohen added that there was no information on the patients' cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and that higher-risk pa Continue reading >>
For Diabetics, The Correct Statin Matters
Statins can increase serum glucose and increase the risk of developing diabetes in certain patients, but that doesn’t mean your diabetic patients shouldn’t take them. In fact, the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/ American Heart Association (AHA) cholesterol treatment guidelines say that the “occurrence of a major ASCVD event represents a much greater harm to health status than does an increase in blood glucose.” The Food and Drug Administration concurs, noting in its safety label change on statins that the cardiovascular benefits of the widely used drugs typically outweighs the disadvantages of modestly higher blood sugar levels or incident diabetes. Still, when you’re treating a patient with diabetes, you would rather have all the medications working to improve blood glucose levels. Careful selection of the right statin can keep from reversing some hard-earned progress in reducing HbA1c levels, according to a study published online ahead of print in the December issue of Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports. The Data Researchers examined the connection between statins, glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance. They found that both dose and type of statin affected the risk of newly diagnosed diabetes and overall elevation of blood glucose levels, based on a review of 12 previous studies. Atorvastatin (10 or 20 mg) had a greater effect on blood sugar than the same doses of pravastatin or simvastatin in one study, while another showed that the higher-intensity statins such as atorvastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin increased the risk of newly diagnosed diabetes compared to treatment with fluvastatin or lovastatin over a 14-year period. Higher dose atorvastatin and simvastatin (80 mg) increased the risk of incident diabetes 12% compared to lower doses of Continue reading >>
Statins And Diabetes
Statins, the group of cholesterol-lowering drugs that includes atorvastatin (brand name Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor), and rosuvastatin (Crestor), have been under increased scrutiny during the last couple of years as studies have linked them to an elevated risk of Type 2 diabetes. Most recently, as David Spero noted in a January blog post here at DiabetesSelfManagement.com, a study of statins in postmenopausal women found a 48% higher risk of diabetes among women who took one of these drugs compared with those who did not. Since this was not a randomized clinical trial, its results are not conclusive. But enough studies have raised concerns that last week, as a New York Times opinion piece notes, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added a warning on diabetes risk to the label of all statins. As the Times piece explains, statins are the most widely prescribed drugs in the world, and they have been in use since the 1980’s. But more powerful statins have achieved widespread use only in the last decade or so, and it appears that these drugs are associated with the greatest diabetes risk. With 20 million Americans taking statins and an estimated risk of developing diabetes from the drugs of 1 in 200, 100,000 people could have diabetes as a result of these drugs. Furthermore, the piece notes, among people without existing heart disease who take statins, the drugs prevent only one heart attack or stroke for every 50 people taking them. Although it is clear from those numbers that statins provide no overwhelming heart-risk reduction or diabetes-risk increase to most people who take them, it is also clear that the heart-related benefit from these drugs is statistically greater than their diabetes-related risk. One particular study, published last year in the Journal of Continue reading >>
Statins Side Effects
Statins side effects are categorised in 1 of 4 categories Statins have attracted controversy in the past for their potentially dangerous side effects. Statins side effects usually fall into one of 4 categories. Statins side effects and indeed the drugs themselves have been studied in detail, and are known to be safe. Your GP or healthcare professional will be able to help you if you experience any statins side effects symptoms. Used alongside blood glucose control , statins are medically proven to cut cholesterol levels and decrease the likelihood of a cardiovascular event. Statins will commonly be prescribed to people that have already had a heart attack, stroke or peripheral artery disease . Statins side effects may include the following: Some studies have shown statins increase risk of depression and impair cognitive ability One statin, simvastatin, could lead to a rare kidney problem The FDA has warned that patients on statins are more likely to develop myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis in rare and serious cases Do statins increase risk of Parkinsons or Alzheimers? There is currently no evidence of a link between statins and Parkinsons or Alzheimers. Studies have indicated slightly higher fasting blood glucose levels in people with diabetes taking statins. The effect may be more pronounced in people taking larger statins doses. How are statins side effects influenced by the liver? Statins target liver cells where cholesterol is produced by the body. When your doctor is considering whether to put you on statins, you will have a blood test to check how well your liver functions. If your liver is affected, your doctor may change your medication or reduce your dose. Im on statins, should I change my diet to lower the risk of side effects? Your doctor should be able to Continue reading >>
Statins Increase Weight And Blood Sugar And Raise Diabetes Risk, Study Finds
Statins increase weight and blood sugar and raise diabetes risk, study finds Risks associated with the cholesterol-lowering drugs taken by thousands of Britons are outweighed by benefits, experts say About seven million people in the UK are currently prescribed statinsPhoto: ALAMY Statins increase weight and blood sugar levels and raise the risk of diabetes, a study has found, but experts maintain that the benefits of the drug "greatly outweigh" the risks. The cholesterol-lowering drugs taken by millions of Britons can directly increase the risk of diabetes because of the way they function, research has shown. Statins have previously been associated with higher rates of type 2 diabetes, but it was not clear whether the drugs were responsible or some other coincidental factor. Now a study has produced strong evidence that the drugs' basic mechanism can lead to weight gain and a modest increase in diabetes risk. However, experts said the benefits of taking statins still greatly outweigh the risks and advice on taking the drugs should not be changed. Forty per cent of adults advised to take statins under new NHS guidance Scientists analysed genetic data from up to 220,000 people and results from almost 130,000 patients who took part in earlier statin trials. They found patients taking statins experienced a modest 12% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes over a four-year period, and gained around half a pound (240 grams) in weight on average. Statins work by reducing the efficiency of a liver enzyme, causing liver cells to trap more low-density lipoprotein (LDL) - the harmful form of cholesterol - from the bloodstream. The cholesterol is converted to bile salts and eliminated naturally from the body. Lead researcher Dr Daniel Swerdlow, from University College Londo Continue reading >>
What Statin Is Best For People With Diabetes?
If you have diabetes, you’re at a higher risk for heart disease and stroke. This makes it especially important to control other risk factors for cardiovascular problems, such as high cholesterol. Fortunately, there are medications called statins that are quite effective at lowering your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol. Which statin is most appropriate if you have diabetes? It depends on your overall cardiovascular risk, but the recommendations lean toward a moderate-intensity or high-intensity statin. There are several different types of statins. Some are more potent than others. They each work a little differently, but they all help lower cholesterol by interfering with a substance your body needs to make cholesterol in the liver. Statins have become some of the most widely prescribed medications in the world. They include atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), as well as other generic and brand name versions. The optimal LDL level for most healthy people is between 70 and 100 mg/dL. If your LDL numbers exceed that range, your doctor should look at your overall heart disease and stroke risk to decide whether you should be placed on statins. Recent guidelines presented by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association expanded the number of potential statin users. Doctors used to base their decision to prescribe a statin primarily on a person’s LDL score. Now, other risk factors are also considered. In general, statins are usually recommended for people who have: diagnosed cardiovascular disease an LDL cholesterol level of 190 mg/dL or higher diabetes and an LDL of 70 mg/dL or higher a 10-year heart attack risk of 7.5 percent or higher and an LDL of at least 100 mg/dL Statins and diabetes risk: What you need to Continue reading >>
Does Statin Increase Blood Sugar Level?
Lipitor (sold generically as atorvastatin) belongs to a popular class of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, which make up a major portion of all prescriptions filled in the United States each year. Lipitor plays a role in that popularity: it was the top-selling prescription drug in 2011, generating $7.7 billion dollars in U.S. sales for manufacturer Pfizer that year. It remains one of the most widely prescribed drugs on the market. Like all statins, Lipitor helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood. Recently, medical researchers uncovered new risks associated with the drug, including an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes. Although clinical research on Lipitor and other statins indicates these drugs can increase a patient’s risk for developing diabetes, they shed little light on how the increased risk occurs. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body fails to properly use or produce insulin, a crucial hormone the body uses to convert food into energy. Bodies break down the food we eat into sugar, or glucose, which travels throughout the bloodstream. But if insulin isn’t working the way it should, glucose can’t enter the body’s cells to provide them with the energy they need. This causes a spike in blood sugar levels – a problem that can result in serious health complications. Researchers suspect that taking statins, including Lipitor, impairs the function of special cells in the pancreas that store and release insulin. There is also evidence that statins, like Atorvastatin, can decrease the body’s sensitivity to insulin. The study, which included 153,840 non-diabetic women between the ages of 50 and 79, considered several other factors also known to increase the risk for diabetes, including advanced age, obesi Continue reading >>
Study Uncovers Why Statins Increase Diabetes Risk And Offers Solution
Statins are drugs that lower cholesterol in the body by interfering with the production of cholesterol in the liver. Though they lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol, one side effect is that they increase risk of diabetes. Now, researchers have discovered why and offer a way to suppress this side effect. One of the world's most widely used drugs, statins have been hailed by the medical community for their ability to prevent heart disease. Still, the researchers, who have published their findings in the journal Diabetes, were confused as to why diabetes was linked to statin use. "Recently, an increased risk of diabetes has been added to the warning label for statin use," says lead author Jonathan Schertzer, assistant professor of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, and Canadian Diabetes Association Scholar. "This was perplexing to us," he continues, "because if you are improving your metabolic profile with statins you should actually be decreasing the incidence of diabetes with these drugs, yet, the opposite happened." According to the team, around 13 million people could be prescribed a statin drug at some point in their lives. In January of this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a Consumer Update outlining some of the risks associated with taking statins, which included an increased risk of raised blood sugar levels and the development of type 2 diabetes. At that time, Dr. Amy G. Egan, deputy director for safety in the FDA's Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products, said: Clearly we think that the heart benefits of statins outweighs this small increased risk. But what this means for patients taking statins and the health care professionals prescribing them is that blood-sugar levels may need to be assessed after instituting st Continue reading >>
Effect Of Statins On Fasting Plasma Glucose In Diabetic And Nondiabetic Patients.
Abstract BACKGROUND: The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) reduce serum cholesterol level and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the effect of statins on glucose metabolism is unclear. Some studies have suggested that statins may cause hyperglycemia by increasing calcium concentration in the islet cells leading to decrease in insulin release or by decreasing GLUT 4-mediated peripheral glucose uptake. METHODS: We analyzed the data in 345,417 patients (mean age 61 +/- 15 years, 94% males, 6% diabetic, 20% statin users) from the Veterans Affairs VISN 16 database. We studied change in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in this population over a mean time of 2 years between the first available measurement and the last measurement form the most recent recorded visit. Data were limited to patients who had 2 FPG measurements. Diagnosis of diabetes had to be present before the first FPG measurement. RESULTS: Among patients without diabetes, FPG increased with statin use from 98 mg/dL to 105 mg/dL, and among nonstatin users, FPG increased from 97 mg/dL to 101 mg/dL (increase in FPG with statin use P < 0.0001). Among patients with diabetes, FPG increased with statin use from 102 mg/dL to 141 mg/dL, and among nonstatin users, FPG increased from 100 mg/dL to 129 mg/dL (increase in FPG with statin use; P < 0.0001). After adjustment for age and use of aspirin, beta-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, the change in FPG in nondiabetic statin users was 7 mg/dL (vs 5 mg/dL in nonstatin users, P < 0.0001) and for diabetic statin users it was 39 mg/dL (vs 32 in nonstatin users, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Statin use is associated with a rise of FPG in patients with and without diabetes. This relationship between statin use and rise in FP 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 >>
