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Type 2 diabetes and statins

T

Treecreeper

Member
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For the last few months my GP has been pressurising me to go onto statins. I have a cholesterol level of 5.6 total cholesterol (units mmol/l I think); no differentiation into types. She tells me diabetics have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. What I have not been able to find out is whether this is directly due to the diabetes or is secondary, the result of diabetics being typically overweight. I am male, quite fit, and weigh less than 9 stone, so I won't take statins without a good reason. I have type 2 diabetes and I am on 2g of metformin and 320mg of gliclazide per day.
 
Hi Tc.
I posted this link recently I may be of help to you, some people are fine on statins others have problems as you will see:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4894&hilit=statins

Regards Graham
 
Thanks Graham, I remember seeing that thread last year. The disturbing part is where someone has posted that surgeries / health centres get paid according to the number of diabetics who are on statins.
 
Treecreeper said:
Thanks Graham, I remember seeing that thread last year. The disturbing part is where someone has posted that surgeries / health centres get paid according to the number of diabetics who are on statins.
Click to expand...

Sad but true.

In order to afford the statins they have to cut down on test strips and expensive tests such as full lipid panels.

Evidence is that not only the high BG but also the high insulin levels required to deal with the diet full of heart healthy carbs are both factors in the increase in cardiovascular problems. Statins only reduce LDL which is the least worst factor, reducing carbs and controlling insulin resistance have much more effect on the trigs and HDL, and improve the particle size of the LDL. The other important factor is inflammation which again can be improved through BG control, weight loss and an appropriate diet. Just about all factors in diabetes worsen other factors, everything you can improve will have knock on effects.
 
Hi Treecreeper, it is a bit of a minefield but I have to say, I would probably take your GP's advice and take advantage of the statins.

I am mindful about scaring people and I am so sorry if I do, so I will be as brief as I can... Three weeks ago my brother was diagnosed with diabetes and is now injecting twice daily. His cholesterol level is the same as yours..., he is 46 years old. He has had a 'silent' heart attack (often goes unnoticed due to the diabetes - damage to nerve endings). He is one of the extremely lucky ones and is now having a quad bypass.

From my research... I truly believe that anyone who has cholesterol levels above 5 should consider statins whether diabetic or not. However, more so for diabetics because of accelerated production of the bad cholesterol. My brother has been told that because of the diabetes, he has pipes you would expect to see in someone at least 10 - 15 years older.

Just to add, where Cholesterol is concerned, there is strong evidence to suggest that a build up of the bad stuff is often down to genes and not always due to environmental factors. If you have a family history it may not be as simple as diet. My sister-in-law has tried all sorts of diets (she was on a completely green diet for 3 months - no change) - for her it is hereditary.

Perhaps in your case, the benefits of statins far outweigh the risks?

Take care :wink:
 
~Molly~ said:
My brother has been told that because of the diabetes, he has pipes you would expect to see in someone at least 10 - 15 years older.
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Thanks, Molly. I'm particularly interested in this part of your post. Was your brother told that he had furred up arteries directly as a result of being diabetic, or was it indirectly, e.g. the furring up being a consequence of being overweight, with this excess weight being caused by the diabetes? I weigh less than 9 stone so it's a significant distinction.

TC
 
cugila said:
Here is a link to a very good informative discussion about Diabetes and Statins.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diabetes/tre ... 001904.htm
Click to expand...

Ken, this is an interesting read. I was almost convinced I needed the statins but right near the end the author says:

'Not everyone with diabetes has the same risk: there are people with Type 2 diabetes who aren't overweight. Not all smoke or have high blood pressure. So while the studies show statins are effective across the board, we can't yet say everyone should take them.'

....which makes the issue doubtful.

I'm confused about one thing. Inside the link is another one about retinopathy. At one point this says blood cholesterol level is important but in the treatment section it doesn't mention statins, so I think he might just mean blood glucose is the important thing but high blood glucose often goes with high cholesterol.
 
'Not everyone with diabetes has the same risk: there are people with Type 2 diabetes who aren't overweight. Not all smoke or have high blood pressure. So while the studies show statins are effective across the board, we can't yet say everyone should take them.'

....which makes the issue doubtful
Click to expand...
which is where you have to make a judgement. This article graphs the problem. Out of every hundred people there will be a proportion that benefit from taking statins, a smaller proportion that may be adversley affected and a lot for whom there will be neither gain nor loss.


http://www.nntonline.net/ebm/newsletter/2003/06/diabetes_and_statins.asp
 
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