Statins might increase risk of developing Type 2 diabetes

[Northerner]

I thought I would put this in the general board for those of you who don't visit the news section, as it's a topic that has spawned many discussions.

Statins 'raise your chance of diabetes'... but the benefits still outweigh risks, say doctors
Patients taking statins face an increased risk of developing diabetes, warn researchers.

The first review into a suspected link with cholesterol-lowering drugs shows a nine per cent rise in the chance of acquiring one form of the disease. Dr Iain Frame quoted.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...tes--benefits-outweigh-risks-say-doctors.html


At least it might stop them prescribing them willy-nilly to all and sundry. No research yet as to whether they might make things worse for those T2s without other risk factors for heart disease. They also stress that it is a small extra risk for non-diabetics, but actually in my book 9% is quite a big extra risk - if I had a near-10% risk of getting some awful disease from drinking tea, I'd stop drinking it!😱

 

[Peter C]

I thought I would put this in the general board for those of you who don't visit the news section, as it's a topic that has spawned many discussions.

Statins 'raise your chance of diabetes'... but the benefits still outweigh risks, say doctors
Patients taking statins face an increased risk of developing diabetes, warn researchers.

The first review into a suspected link with cholesterol-lowering drugs shows a nine per cent rise in the chance of acquiring one form of the disease. Dr Iain Frame quoted.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...tes--benefits-outweigh-risks-say-doctors.html

But high cholesterol is a feature of the Metabolic Syndrome along with Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension. so it would be very difficult to unravel - have the handful of extras got diabetes because they take a statin or have they got diabetes because they have the Metabolic Syndrome ( as evidenced by their need for a statin).
And please note Northie, it says the RISK of Type 2 Diabetes is raised by 9% not the incidence - it doesn't mean an extra 9% of non-diabetics on statins develop T2 diabetes so your tea anology is irrelevant. the risk of getting T2 diabetes must be about 2.0% ( our proportion of the population ?)- a 9% increase in that risk jumps the risk to a whole 2.1%
That's why we should read the actual scientific papers and use absolute numbers not percentages which knuckle-headed reporters never seem to understand.
The story is just another total balls up of scientific research by the Media.

 

[Northerner]

But high cholesterol is a feature of the Metabolic Syndrome along with Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension. so it would be very difficult to unravel - have the handful of extras got diabetes because they take a statin or have they got diabetes because they have the Metabolic Syndrome ( as evidenced by their need for a statin).
And please note Northie, it says the RISK of Type 2 Diabetes is raised by 9% not the incidence - it doesn't mean an extra 9% of non-diabetics on statins develop T2 diabetes so your tea anology is irrelevant. the risk of getting T2 diabetes must be about 2.0% ( our proportion of the population ?)- a 9% increase in that risk jumps the risk to a whole 2.1%
That's why we should read the actual scientific papers and use absolute numbers not percentages which knuckle-headed reporters never seem to understand.
The story is just another total balls up of scientific research by the Media.

Thanks Peter - I was hoping you would respond with your thoughts.

 

[Caroline]

Even thoe I didn't need them until AFTER I was diagnosed my doctor was still reluctant to prescribe the. He wouldn't have if the DSN (the one and only time I saw her) had said I MUST have them.

 

[squidge63]

I read that in the paper today.. I have been on statins since i was diagnosed in Aug 99.. started on simvastatin, went to atorvastatin and am now on rosuvastatin..