Researchers from Finland studied over 8,700 non-diabetic patients to see whether or not taking simvastatin or atorvastatin increased their chances of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.
The findings showed men who took statins were 46% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and that those who were on higher doses were at greater risk.
However, the study was only conducted on men, many of whom were already predisposed to developing type 2 diabetes.
Statins work to lower the body’s cholesterol, a key risk factor for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
Our Medical Director, Professor Peter Weissberg, said: “Previous studies have shown that statins, while protecting against a life-threatening heart attack or stroke, can increase a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes.
“This study showed that it was patients taking a high dose statin who were most at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and, importantly, many of the patients who developed diabetes already had risk factors for diabetes at the start of the study. This suggests that statins may act by unmasking a pre-existing tendency to diabetes.”
“It is important that people taking statins because of existing cardiovascular disease should continue to take them as the benefits will outweigh the risks.
“Healthy people taking statins to reduce their future risk of developing heart disease should be taking the lowest effective dose and should be doing all in their power to reduce their future risk of developing diabetes and CVD by not smoking, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight.”