Not everyone who takes a statin will develop type 2 diabetes, Dr. Kim says.
“For people who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease, the benefits of statins in reducing their risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events usually outweigh the potential risk of developing diabetes,” she says.
In addition to speaking with your doctor, you can check your risk for cardiovascular disease with the American College of Cardiology’s risk estimator tool.
Data may suggest that statin risks are greater among people already at risk of type 2 diabetes, Dr. Sarraju says. These risk factors can include elevated glucose levels, high triglycerides, and obesity.
“For people who are not in this situation, the excess risk of diabetes with statins is likely very low and negligible in many cases,” he says.
When talking to patients about high-intensity statin doses and type 2 diabetes, Sarraju says he discusses the data behind the correlation. He also notes other ways to mitigate the risk of type 2 diabetes, including exercising, improving diet, and losing weight.
“Statin therapies reduce risk even in patients with diabetes, so on the whole, if there is a strong indication for statins, the benefits are more likely to outweigh the risks,” he says.
