Statin Use Is Associated with Excess Risk for Diabetes Progression

Guidelines recommend statin therapy in middle-aged people (age range, 40–75) with type 2 diabetes for preventing cardiovascular disease (Diabetes Care 2021; 44:Suppl 1:S125). However, statin use is associated with insulin resistance, higher blood glucose levels, and a small excess risk for developing diabetes. In this retrospective study, U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers compared diabetes progression in 83,000 patients with diabetes who initiated statin therapy and 83,000 propensity score–matched patients with diabetes who did not take statins. Statin users filled prescriptions for a mean 5.3 years.

Diabetes progression (defined as a composite of therapy intensification and new persistent hyperglycemia or acute glycemic complications) …