ABSTRACT
Statin drugs now carry a US Food and Drug Administration warning that they may increase the risk of diabetes mellitus and may worsen glycemic control in patients who already have diabetes. Though the association is clear, until some contradictory observations can be resolved and plausible mechanisms of action elucidated, causality cannot be established. From a clinical standpoint, there is currently no evidence that elevations in blood glucose while taking lipid-lowering drugs are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events or that they attenuate the beneficial effects of the therapy. Until further study is done, statins should continue to be used based on a careful assessment of risk and benefit.
Footnotes
↵* Dr. Rocco has disclosed teaching and speaking for Abbott Laboratories.
- Copyright © 2012 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
- Medical Director of Stress Testing and Cardiac Rehabilitation; Staff Cardiologist, Sections of Clinical Cardiology and Preventive Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic; and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
- ADDRESS:
Michael B. Rocco, MD, BD10, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195; e-mail roccom{at}ccf.org.
ABSTRACT
Statin drugs now carry a US Food and Drug Administration warning that they may increase the risk of diabetes mellitus and may worsen glycemic control in patients who already have diabetes. Though the association is clear, until some contradictory observations can be resolved and plausible mechanisms of action elucidated, causality cannot be established. From a clinical standpoint, there is currently no evidence that elevations in blood glucose while taking lipid-lowering drugs are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events or that they attenuate the beneficial effects of the therapy. Until further study is done, statins should continue to be used based on a careful assessment of risk and benefit.
Footnotes
↵* Dr. Rocco has disclosed teaching and speaking for Abbott Laboratories.
- Copyright © 2012 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All Rights Reserved.