High-Potency Statins Are Associated with Excess Risk for Diabetes

Meta-analyses of randomized trials have shown that statin use is associated with excess risk for developing diabetes. These findings prompted the FDA to require label changes for statins to address this concern. In this study, investigators used data from eight population-based Canadian, U.S., and U.K. cohort studies to evaluate risk for developing diabetes in 137,000 patients (age, ≥40) who were hospitalized for major adverse cardiovascular events and who received new prescriptions for high-potency or low-potency statins.

Diabetes incidence in new users of high-potency statins (rosuvastatin [Crestor] ≥10 mg, atorvastatin ≥20 mg, or simvastatin ≥40 mg) was compared with incidence in new users of low-potency statins (all other statins). Withi…