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Review
. 2024 Dec 19;27(1):18.
doi: 10.1007/s11883-024-01266-8.

Statin Use and Hyperglycemia: Do Statins Cause Diabetes?

Cindy L Bredefeld  1   2 , Paula Choi  3 , Tiffany Cullen  3 , Sophie J Nicolich-Henkin  3 , Lauren Waters  3
Affiliations
Review

Statin Use and Hyperglycemia: Do Statins Cause Diabetes?

Cindy L Bredefeld et al. Curr Atheroscler Rep. .

Abstract

Purpose of review: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and diabetes are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States and globally. Statin medications, a cornerstone of ASCVD prevention and treatment strategies, have been demonstrated to cause hyperglycemia and new onset diabetes mellitus (NODM). The purpose of this review is to summarize existing and emerging knowledge around the intersection of statins and these two important clinical problems.

Recent findings: Since initial reporting of statin-induced hyperglycemia and NODM, the totality of available data corroborates an association between incident diabetes and statin use. A consensus that high-intensity statin and individuals with obesity or glycemic parameters approximating diabetes thresholds constitute the majority of risk exists. Alterations in insulin signaling, glucose transport and gastrointestinal microbiota are leading hypotheses underlying the mechanisms of statin-induced hyperglycemia. The probability of NODM based on an individual's risk factors and statin specific properties can be anticipated. This risk needs to be contextualized with the risk of ASCVD. In order to effectively adjudicate the risk of NODM, improvement in formulating and ultimately conveying a comprehensive ASCVD risk assessment to patients is necessary.

Keywords: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; Hyperglycemia; New-onset diabetes mellitus; Statin-induced diabetes; Statins.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Human and Animal Rights: This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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