
Statins linked to 46-percent increased diabetes risk for men
The use of statins can increase diabetes risk by 46 percent in men, according to new research published in Diabetologia.
Even after accounting for various factors like age, body mass index, waist circumference or physical activity, the study revealed that patients treated with statins were more likely to develop diabetes, especially if they were taking higher doses of these medications.
The statins mentioned in the study were simvastatin (Zocor) and atorvastatin (Lipitor).
Insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion decreased
The study included 8,749 non-diabetic men between the ages of 45 and 73 who were tracked for a period of 5.9 years.
Overall, statin treatment was associated with a 24 percent decrease in insulin sensitivity and a 12 percent decrease in insulin secretion.
"Statin therapy was associated with a 46% increased risk of type 2 diabetes after adjustment for confounding factors, suggesting a higher risk of diabetes in the general population than previously reported," the researchers wrote.
Type 2 diabetes is different from type 1 diabetes in many ways. As its alternate name of adult-onset diabetes implies, it is usually only found in adults. However, the rate of children acquiring the disease is going up.
Type 2 diabetes is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes due to the fact that, unlike type 1, insulin injections are not always required for treatment.
In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas either doesn't produce any insulin, or the insulin that is produced is not properly utilized. This is due to a condition known as insulin resistance, which prevents key par
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