(04-07-14) Higher-Dose Statins Linked to Moderate Increase in Diabetes Risk

By Kelly Young

Edited by Susan Sadoughi, MD , and Jaye Elizabeth Hefner, MD

Higher doses of statins are associated with greater risk for incident diabetes
than lower doses, according to a BMJ study.
Using healthcare databases from Canada, the UK, and the US, researchers
identified 137,000 patients who were prescribed statins after hospitalization
for a major cardiovascular event. At 2 years, patients prescribed a higher-dose
statin (rosuvastatin, 10 mg and up; atorvastatin, 20 mg and up; simvastatin, 40
mg and up) had a 15% higher rate of new diabetes diagnoses than lower-dose
statin users. Incidence rates were highest in the first 4 months.
The authors conclude: "Clinicians should consider our study results when
choosing between lower potency and higher potency statins in secondary
prevention patients, perhaps bearing in mind that head-to-head randomized
trials of higher potency versus lower potency statins have not shown a
reduction in all-cause mortality or serious adverse events in secondary
prevention patients with stable disease."

Source: http://www.jwatch.org/fw108892/2014/06/02/higher-dose-statins-linked-
moderate-increase-diabetes
June 2, 2014
Link(s):BMJ article (Free)
Background: NEJM Journal Watch General Medicine summary on statins and
diabetes risk (Free)

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