New research suggests that hundreds of people who take statins to reduce their risk of having a heart attack or stroke, could be at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
The study, which has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at almost 33,000 people on moderate or high-dose statins in five separate studies. None had diabetes to start with. The researchers calculated that for every 498 people who took high-dose statins for a year, an extra person would develop diabetes than if they had taken moderate-dose statins. However, if the same group took high-dose statins it would prevent at least three more cardiovascular events, compared to them taking moderate doses. Commenting on the research, Dr Sharlin Ahmed, research liaison officer at The Stroke Association said: “High cholesterol can cause blood vessels to narrow which can significantly increase your risk of heart disease or stroke. Statins have long been used as an effective treatment to lower cholesterol, yet this study suggests they could also increase the risk of developing diabetes. Every patient needs to be assessed and treated on a case-by-case basis and the risk of developing diabetes as a result of taking statins should be weighed up against the potential risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
