A dysglycaemic effect of statins in diabetes: relevance to clinical practice?
File(s)
Author(s)
Swerdlow, DI
Sattar, N
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
In this issue of the journal, Erqou and colleagues (DOI 10.1007/s00125-014-3374-x) report, in a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials, a very modest (1.3 mmol/mol or 0.12%) albeit significant increase in HbA1c in patients with diabetes treated with statins, compared with control. Here, we discuss the clinical relevance of the findings. Given the overwhelming benefit of statins on cardiovascular outcomes in diabetes, current guidelines recommending statins for primary prevention in type 2 diabetes should not change, and any effect on microvascular risk is likely to be minimal. Of course, all patients recommended for statin treatment, whether they have diabetes or not, should now be warned of a slight potential for dysglycaemia on starting statins, but at the same time they should be told that very modest lifestyle improvement will help offset this dysglycaemia risk. Finally, we remind colleagues that nearly all drugs have side effects and we should not be surprised by this statin–dysglycaemia effect, which can be easily managed.
Date Issued
2014-10-22
Date Acceptance
2014-10-22
Citation
Diabetologia, 2014, 57 (12), pp.2433-2435
ISSN
1432-0428
Publisher
Springer Verlag
Start Page
2433
End Page
2435
Journal / Book Title
Diabetologia
Volume
57
Issue
12
Copyright Statement
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.
License URL
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Cardiovascular disease
Dysglycaemia
HbA(1c)
Meta-analysis
Prevention
Statins
Type 2 diabetes
RANDOMIZED-TRIALS
CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE
LDL CHOLESTEROL
METAANALYSIS
RISK
THERAPY
DYSGLYCEMIA
MELLITUS
EFFICACY
GLYCEMIA
Blood Glucose
Diabetes Mellitus
Humans
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
1103 Clinical Sciences
1114 Paediatrics And Reproductive Medicine
1117 Public Health And Health Services
Publication Status
Published