Many doctors prescribe statins, a class of medications found to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. However, a new study shows that patients who take these medications may be at a significant increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
About the Study
Researchers reviewed health records and other patient data of more than 4,680 men and women who were not currently diagnosed with diabetes, were candidates for statins due to their risk of heart disease and who had not taken statins at the beginning of the study. Eventually, 755 of these patients were prescribed these drugs during the study period from 2011 to 2014.
Researchers studied whether attempts to reduce heart disease in patients is actually contributing to the development of Type 2 diabetes. They considered a variety of factors when contemplating this connection, including:
- Cholesterol readings
- Triglyceride readings
- Sex
- Age
- Education level
- Ethnicity
- Body mass index
- Waist circumference
- Number of doctor visits
The study was published in Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews.
Study Findings
Researchers found that patients who were prescribed statins had a minimum of twice the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, compared to patients who were not prescribed these drugs. Furthermore, patients who took statins for longer than two years had a more than three times the risk of developing diabetes. Because the longer use of statin corresponded with an increased risk of diabetes, researchers believed that there was a causal relationship between the medications and diabetes.
Additionally,
Implications of the Study
Researchers warn against stopping the use of statins without medical advice. These medications are effective at preventing strokes and heart attacks, which may be a more significant risk factor for patients. However, patients may wish to discuss risk factors for developing diabetes with their doctor. Additional recommendations may need to be made about healthy diet, exercise and other interventions to increase the possibility of avoiding the development of Type 2 diabetes. Doctors may need to closely monitor patients who are taking statins to detect changes in their glucose levels.
