Statin use and risk of diabetes mellitus

Abstract

At present time four groups of medications are used to correct dyslipidemia: bile acid sequestrants, niacin, fibric acid derivatives andstatins. During last years statins' potential to increase risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is actively discussed, though no commonopinion about the possible mechanism of such effect has evolved as yet. Insulin desensitizing effect as a class feature of statins remainsa disputable question.Position of statins as a first-line therapy for severe hyperlipidemia seems undoubted; however they do not improve insulin sensitivity.Moreover, several studies reported increased risk of T2DM. It is feasible to consider combined treatment (including metformin) inpatients from risk groups for development of T2DM, receiving statins

Keywords

• statins
• insulin resistance
• diabetes mellitus
• atherosclerosis
• metformin