According to the findings of an important new study, the enzyme that statin medications are designed to inhibit in order to lower cholesterol levels may also be tied to factors affecting blood sugar, which researchers from the UK believe may explain why using statin drugs like Lipitor and Crestor increases a patient’s risk of developing diabetes. If you took Lipitor in the past, and you have since been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or another serious statin complication, our consumer advocates at the Consumer Justice Foundation can help put you in touch with a reputable attorney who has experience handling Lipitor diabetes claims.
The enzyme in question is known as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), and the researchers looked at gene variants and the impact they had on glucose, plasma lipid and insulin concentrations, using data on more than 200,000 individuals from 43 genetic studies. According to their findings, some gene variants had the same effect on HMGCR enzyme production as statins, and in those cases, they also had a similar impact on waist circumference, body weight and type 2 diabetes risk. “Statins increase the risk of new onset type 2 diabetes melitus,” the researchers concluded. “The increased risk of type 2 diabetes noted with statins is at least partially explained by HMGCR inhibition.”
Statin drugs like Lipitor and Crestor are among the most commonly prescribed medications in the world, and these important findings come as concerns continue to mount regarding the link between statin medications and diabetes. This latest study was released just two months after researchers from Italy published a study highlighting a dose-specific response between statins and diabetes. In other words, the longer a patient takes Lipitor or another statin, the higher their risk of developing diabetes. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal in June, patients taking powerful statins like Lipitor, Crestor and Zocor may have a 15% increased risk of being diagnosed with diabetes within two years of beginning treatment.
In light of the risk of statin drugs increasing a patient’s risk of diabetes, the FDA issued a report in February 2012, requiring the makers of certain statin drugs to add new label warnings regarding the impact of statin medications on blood glucose levels. However, many critics have argued that the warnings are not strong enough for certain statins, calling for the makers of statin drugs to provide consumers and the medical community with more accurate information about the risk of diabetes associated with Lipitor, Crestor and other statin medications.
Despite these serious risks, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology just last year called for new guidelines that some say would result in millions of additional Americans taking Crestor, Lipitor, and other cholesterol drugs indefinitely. These proposed guidelines come as the makers of Lipitor, Crestor and other statin medications continue to face a growing number of lawsuits filed on behalf of patients who took the drugs and subsequently suffered type 2 diabetes or another serious side effect. If you believe you have been adversely affected by side effects of Lipitor or a similar statin drug, contact a knowledgeable Lipitor attorney today to explore your compensation options.
[box type=”note” align=”aligncenter” ]Source: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2814%2961183-1/abstract[/box]
