Statins and diabetes: check the benefit/risk ratio

"Increases in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose

FDA’s review of the results from the Justification for the Use of Statins in Primary Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER) reported a 27% increase in investigator-reported diabetes mellitus in rosuvastatin-treated patients compared to placebo-treated patients. High-dose atorvastatin had also been associated with worsening glycemic control in the Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy – Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 22 (PROVE-IT TIMI 22) substudy.¹⁸

FDA also reviewed the published medical literature.^19-26 A meta-analysis by Sattar et al.,19 which included 13 statin trials with 91,140 participants, reported that statin therapy was associated with a 9% increased risk for incident diabetes (odds ratio [OR] 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.17), with little heterogeneity (I2=11%) between trials. A meta-analysis by Rajpathak et al.,²⁰ which included 6 statin trials with 57,593 participants, also reported a small increase in diabetes risk (relative risk [RR] 1.13; 95% CI 1.03-1.23), with no evidence of heterogeneity across trials. A recent study by Culver et al.,²⁶ using data from the Women’s Health Initiative, reported that statin use conveys an increased risk of new-onset diabetes in postmenopausal women, and noted that the effect appears to be a medication class effect, unrelated to potency or to individual statin.

Based on clinical trial meta-analyses and epidemiological data from the published literature, information concerning an effect of statins on incident diabetes and increases in HbA1c and/or fasting plasma glucose was added to statin labels."

Clearly in primary prevention statins must be prescribed IF dieting is unable to lower the LDL cholesterol and CRP US levels. Med diet and paleo diet work very efficiently in primary prevention. Several studies showed a potential of 30% reduction in LDL cholesterol for the both! So it seems unnecessary to prescribe statins before any period of dieting of at least 3 months. Dieting is not easy you need coaching and follow up... 

In secondary prevention at least for the first years the benefit outweighs the risk BUT HbA1c must be checked...

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm293101.htm