Individuals taking cholesterol-lowering agents named statins may be at higher risk of developing high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance ultimately leading to type 2 diabetes, according to an analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

The analysis examined information from 9,535 individuals older than 45 years of age who were free from diabetes at the start of the population-based Rotterdam Study and were followed up to 15 years.

Compared with participants who never used statins, those who used statins tended to have higher concentrations of serum fasting insulin and insulin resistance. Participants who ever used statins had a 38 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes during the study. This risk was more prominent in individuals with impaired glucose balance and in overweight/obese individuals.

‘Patients taking statins should promptly control their blood sugar and body weight to minimize the risk of diabetes.’
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