Statins Slightly Increase Risk of Diabetes
A recent systematic review assessed the relationship between statin use and diabetes with data on 91,140 patients from 13 randomized trials. Over mean follow-up of four years, statin use was associated with a small increase in new-onset diabetes (4.89% vs. 4.5%, odds ratio 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.17). The number needed to harm (NNH) was 255 patients treated with statins for four years to result in one additional diabetes case. Diabetes risk with statins was highest in trials with older patients. Because the risk of diabetes is low in comparison to the beneficial effects of statins on cardiovascular events, the authors do not recommend changing statin treatment in patients with or at risk of cardiovascular disease (Lancet. 2010;375:735-742).
