Among statins' unwanted effects may be an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.
Many people take statins to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, such as coronary heart disease and heart attacks. In the United States, about 83% of people between 40 and 59 years of age who take cholesterol-lowering medication are taking statins.
Although statins are effective at staving off cardiovascular disease, some previous trials have suggested that they may raise the risk of diabetes.
A new study, led by Victoria Zigmont, a graduate researcher in public health at The Ohio State University in Columbus, further explores this link. The findings, which appear in the journal Diabetes Metabolism Research and Reviews, suggest that statins may indeed raise the risk for this chronic condition.
I went on LCHF 5 years back when my lipids were high TG-273,chill-290,A1c-8..I was on diabetic drugs along with statins.As I progressed on LCHF,A1c dropped and dropped to 5.5 and my diabetic drugs reduced substantially..Statins were required to be stopped as all lipids became normal.Am diabetic for 30 years,at 68 and on minimal dosage of Metformin.
On the other hand some experts also said that high Total cholesterol and LDL-C are harmless and even beneficial, so we don't have to try to lower them, only high Triglyceride that should be our concern, if that is true, i'll be very happy, because as far as my experience Tg is the easiest lipid to control, even very very easy, Without drugs, strict diet and exercise my Tg is 400, but just by adding 12 minutes of moderate intensity exercise (120 bps) on cross trainer, i can easily put it down below 150, again this is absolutely without any drug or strict diet.
On the contrary no matter how hard i try, LDL-C hence Total cholesterol won't go down significantly, yet consensus statement of the American endocrinologists on T2D management is, LDL-C has to be kept at least below 100
"Patients with diabetes, therefore, can be classified as high risk, very-high risk, or extreme risk; as such, the AACE recommends LDL-C targets of <100 mg/dL, <70 mg/dL, and <55 mg/dL"
THe problem with any man made calculation is the algorithm used?
Using gym machines, heart measurement is no calibrated and not very accurate, but one should check the starting hear rate, maximum heart rate and at the end cooling down heart rate.
It is always better to have your own device to measure heart rate. Again the maximum heart rate has to be calculated and one should not allow to go more than that, this information is from a sport science professor!!
In UK, TV they use sports people to take part in extreme program and heart is measured during the programme to make sure the heart is under control.
There is Cholesterol Support, Heart UK. There has been many article on type 2 medication and cholesterol. Even my GP was happy for me to go on lifestyle change rather than medication !!!!!
Yes. . . GPs seem to understand these things more.
Cardiac consultants are too burnt out, or not enough time to discuss pros and cons with patients, for example, except few enlightened ones (rare). . .
There was some big, heated discussions over the BHS on Statin.
A lot of people suffer from nasty (often serious) side effects.
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