Increased risk of diabetes observed among statin-treated patients

FEBRUARY 16, 2010 | Michael O'Riordan

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Glasgow, Scotland - New data from a large meta-analysis of major statin trials suggests the LDL-cholesterol-lowering drugs slightly increase the risk of developing diabetes mellitus [1]. Investigators stress, however, that clinical practice should remain unchanged in patients with moderate or high cardiovascular risk, given the low absolute risk of developing diabetes, particularly when when compared with the benefit of statins.

"We found that there was indeed a risk of diabetes, about 9%, but it isn't a worrying increase as had been suggested by other studies," said co-lead investigator Dr David Preiss (University of Glasgow, Scotland). "Then again, it wasn't a completely flat result. We did see something. Our message would be that people on statins should be those we think are at moderate to high cardiovascular risk in the future. If you look at that group of patients, then what we really want to see come out of the study is a reassuring message, because there is little question that the protective effects in reducing heart attacks, strokes, and so on heavily outweigh this risk of developing diabetes."