People Taking Statins May Be At Higher Risk for High Blood Sugar Levels, Study Indicates

“Individuals who take statins may be at higher risk for developing high blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, and eventually type 2 diabetes, according to an analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

Compared with participants who never used statins, those who used statins tended to have higher concentrations of serum fasting insulin and insulin resistance. Participants who ever used statins had a 38 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes during the study. This risk was more prominent in individuals with impaired glucose balance and in overweight/obese individuals.

Based on these findings, the authors conclude: “Individuals using statins may be at higher risk for hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and eventually type 2 diabetes. Rigorous preventive strategies such as glucose control and weight reduction in patients when initiating statin therapy might help minimizing the risk of diabetes.”

“The findings suggest that in patients who initiate statin therapy, preventive strategies such as blood sugar control and weight loss may be warranted for minimizing the risk of diabetes,” Stricker says.”

Read more at Endocrine News