Statins - NOT lowering mortality by improving "Cardiovascular Outcomes"
The Gottlieb article that most type 2 diabetics should take cholesterol-lowering statins is one more of the ever growing list of texts that fails to mention the words "overall" or "all-cause" mortality regarding statin use.
Dr.
A.J. Jenkins called attention to the fact that statins have yet to prolong the life of women in a clinical trial (1) and I believe such lack of mortality benefit also applies to diabetics.
The irony of the "war on fat and cholesterol" is that lipids are the only food group without insulin or glycemic response, the basic issue in type 2 diabetes. Moreover (cholesterol derived) vitamin
D was just found to be more effective in improving insulin sensitivity than the diabetes drugs metformin and troglitazone. (2)
One might therefore be skeptical about studies or reviews regarding cholesterol lowering in diabetics when there is no clear mortality benefit or causal link. Look for the word: all-cause mortality, there's the hitch.
1. Jenkins AJ. Might money spent on statins be better spent? BMJ 2003;327:933 (18 October)
2. Chiu KC et al. Hypovitaminosis D is associated with insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 May;79(5):820-5. PMID
15113720
Rapid Response:
Statins - NOT lowering mortality by improving "Cardiovascular Outcomes"
The Gottlieb article that most type 2 diabetics should take cholesterol-lowering statins is one more of the ever growing list of texts that fails to mention the words "overall" or "all-cause" mortality regarding statin use.
Dr.
A.J. Jenkins called attention to the fact that statins have yet to prolong the life of women in a clinical trial (1) and I believe such lack of mortality benefit also applies to diabetics.
The irony of the "war on fat and cholesterol" is that lipids are the only food group without insulin or glycemic response, the basic issue in type 2 diabetes. Moreover (cholesterol derived) vitamin
D was just found to be more effective in improving insulin sensitivity than the diabetes drugs metformin and troglitazone. (2)
One might therefore be skeptical about studies or reviews regarding cholesterol lowering in diabetics when there is no clear mortality benefit or causal link. Look for the word: all-cause mortality, there's the hitch.
1. Jenkins AJ. Might money spent on statins be better spent? BMJ 2003;327:933 (18 October)
2. Chiu KC et al. Hypovitaminosis D is associated with insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 May;79(5):820-5. PMID
15113720
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests