Medical Alert: ‘Statins Linked to 50% Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes’

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Medical Alert: ‘Statins Linked to 50% Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes’
by Robert Harrington
Posted on May 20, 2015

Among other concerns.

A recent study from Finland suggests that cholesterol-lowering drugs known as Statins may increase ones risk of developing the highly-preventable Type 2 diabetes by a startling 50% – even after adjusting for other factors. With the widespread use of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, this news is not what many folks will want to hear.

A 50% higher risk for Type 2 diabetes is a quite unfavorable consequence for those who are ‘reliant’ on statins for blood pressure or plaque buildup throughout the circulatory system. However, due to the many other conditions that can occur with diabetes, this correlation must be taken seriously. Particularly for the elderly who have very little diet discipline, the results of this important study ought to serve as a major wakeup call.

It should be noted that some of the conclusions of this study read like the worst case scenario specifically for white men since the control group was made up of exclusively Caucasian males.

“Statins appear to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in several ways, the researchers said. One is that the drugs can increase a person’s insulin resistance, and the other is that the cholesterol-lowering drugs seem to impair the ability of the pancreas to secrete insulin, according to the report.” [1]

Type 2 diabetes is already a major medical condition affecting well over 29 million people in the United States. With the advancement of age, the incidence rises very quickly. Significantly, there are many folks who are actually pre-diabetic or undiagnosed diabetics and who are also on statins. They especially need to be aware that the longer the period of statin use, the greater the potential likelihood that Type 2 diabetes will develop.

The data of the aforementioned study seems to suggest that any individual who has a personal or family history of “impaired glucose tolerance” ( also known as pre-diabetes) ought to be very wary of using statins to control BP or lower cholesterol. Certainly the prescribing physician should be properly informed if there is a family history of blood sugar problems.

“If your risk for heart disease is high, the benefit of statin therapy is so important that most physicians and most patients, when it’s explained to them, will be willing to incur the increased risk of diabetes in favor of the added benefit to preventing heart attack and stroke,” Goldberg said.

Dr. Alan Garber, a professor at Baylor College of Medicine, said that statin users with blood sugar levels beginning to creep up can likely head off type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise. Garber is the editor of the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. [1]

Delicate Balancing Act Between Heart Health and Sugar Balance

There is no question that both doctor and patient can be put into a demanding predicament the more diabetes becomes a reality for a heart attack or stroke patient. The tradeoff between the two treatment regimes will undoubtedly present choices which will be as conflicting as it is challenging.

However, there is a way out for those who are confronted by this as well as by similar competing health challenges. That way out concerns the serious consideration of positive changes in lifestyle, as well as of natural treatments. Toward that end, diet and exercise are the best places to start since each can contribute to the mitigation of both conditions.

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Well, we shall see if the U.S. FDA puts any credibility into this study and issues some warnings about taking statins. Their benefit in lowering LDL is of great importance.

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Well Beachbody40,not that I listen to or trust ANYTHING the fad says,here's a link actually from their own website entitled.............
FDA Expands Advice on Statin Risks


http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/Cons.../ucm293330.htm

Just as a quick summary of some of their warnings,i'll copy & paste them directly from their site and post them here.

There's a plethora of studies available to anyone whos interested proving just how dangerous statins are and actually how un-neccesary they are in most cases do to not only the Diabetes risk but others risks such as............


FDA is advising consumers and health care professionals that:

• Routine monitoring of liver enzymes in the blood, once considered standard procedure for statin users, is no longer needed. Such monitoring has not been found to be effective in predicting or preventing the rare occurrences of serious liver injury associated with statin use.
  

• Cognitive (brain-related) impairment, such as memory loss, forgetfulness and confusion, has been reported by some statin users.
  

• People being treated with statins may have an increased risk of raised blood sugar levels and the development of Type 2 diabetes.
  

• Some medications interact with lovastatin (brand names include Mevacor) and can increase the risk of muscle damage.
  

The Risk of Diabetes

Diabetes occurs because of defects in the body’s ability to produce or use insulin—a hormone needed to convert food into energy. If the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or if cells do not respond appropriately to insulin, blood sugar levels in the blood get too high, which can lead to serious health problems.


A small increased risk of raised blood sugar levels and the development of Type 2 diabetes have been reported with the use of statins.


“Clearly we think that the heart benefit of statins outweighs this small increased risk,” says Egan. But what this means for patients taking statins and the health care professionals prescribing them is that blood-sugar levels may need to be assessed after instituting statin therapy,” she says.


Liver Injury Called Rare

FDA has found that liver injury associated with statin use is rare but can occur. Patients are advised to consult their health care professional if they have symptoms that include unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, right upper abdominal discomfort, dark urine or yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes.


Statins work in the liver to reduce the production of cholesterol, a waxy substance that can form plaque on the walls of the arteries and keep the heart from getting the blood it needs.


Egan explains that there had been signals in early clinical trials of possible liver damage tied to statin use, so health care professionals were advised to regularly test their patients’ liver enzyme levels. However, she says, such damage is rare, and the tests are not effective at predicting or preventing who will develop this rare side effect.


So FDA is now recommending that liver enzyme tests be performed before statin treatment begins and then as needed if there are symptoms of liver damage.



Reports of Memory Loss

FDA has been investigating reports of cognitive impairment from statin use for several years. The agency has reviewed databases that record reports of bad reactions to drugs and statin clinical trials that included assessments of cognitive function.


The reports about memory loss, forgetfulness and confusion span all statin products and all age groups. Egan says these experiences are rare but that those affected often report feeling “fuzzy” or unfocused in their thinking.


In general, the symptoms were not serious and were reversible within a few weeks after the patient stopped using the statin. Some people affected in this way had been taking the medicine for a day; others had been taking it for years.


What should patients do if they fear that statin use could be clouding their thinking? “Talk to your health care professional,” Egan says. “Don’t stop taking the medication; the consequences to your heart could be far greater.”


The Potential for Muscle Damage

Some drugs interact with statins in a way that increases the risk of muscle injury called myopathy, characterized by unexplained muscle weakness or pain. Egan explains that some new drugs are broken down (metabolized) through the same pathways in the body that statins follow. This increases both the amount of statin in the blood and the risk of muscle injury.


FDA is revising the drug label for Lovastatin to clarify the risk of myopathy. The label will reflect what drugs should not be taken at the same time, and the maximum lovastatin dose if it is not possible to avoid use of those other drugs.


Patients and health care professionals should report negative side effects from statin use to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program.


This article appears on FDA's Consumer Update page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.