Take a Statin and raise the plasma glucose level by about 40 mgs per dL on average if you have DM.



In short, statins raise the BG by an average on
39 mgs of glucose per dL in diabetics.

This would seem to suggest that if one blood lipids are less than
ideal the Doc should treat the DM or pre-DM first
not the blood lipids? What do you think?

A real reference for "anyone" is below ;-)

See below.


1. J Investig Med. 2009 Mar;57(3):495-9.

Effect of statins on fasting plasma glucose in diabetic
and nondiabetic patients.

Sukhija R, Prayaga S, Marashdeh M, Bursac Z, Kakar P,
Bansal D, Sachdeva R, Kesan SH, Mehta JL.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System
and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences,
Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.

BACKGROUND:
The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors
(statins) nreduce serum cholesterol level and cardiovascular
morbidity and mortality. However, the effect of statins on
glucose metabolism is unclear. Some studies have
suggested that statins may cause hyperglycemia by
increasing calcium concentration in the islet cells
leading to decrease in insulin release or by decreasing
GLUT 4-mediated peripheral glucose uptake.

METHODS:
We analyzed the data in 345,417 patients
(mean age 61 +/- 15 years, 94% males, 6% diabetic, 20% statin users)
from the Veterans Affairs VISN 16 database.
We studied change in fasting plasma glucose
(FPG) in this population over a mean time of
2 years between the first available measurement and the last
measurement form the most recent recorded visit.
Data were limited to patients who had 2 FPG
measurements. Diagnosis of diabetes had to be
present before the first FPG measurement.

RESULTS:
Among patients without diabetes, FPG increased with statin use
from 98 mg/dL to 105 mg/dL, and among nonstatin users,
FPG increased from 97 mg/dL to 101 mg/dL
(increase in FPG with statin use P < 0.0001).
Among patients with diabetes, FPG increased
with statin use from 102 mg/dL to 141 mg/dL, and
among nonstatin users, FPG increased from
100 mg/dL to 129 mg/dL (increase in FPG with statin
use; P < 0.0001). After adjustment for age and use of aspirin,
beta-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors,
the change in FPG in nondiabetic statin users was
7 mg/dL (vs 5 mg/dL in nonstatin users, P < 0.0001)
and for diabetic statin users it was 39 mg/dL
(vs 32 in nonstatin users, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS:
Statin use is associated with a rise of FPG in patients
with and without diabetes. This relationship between
statin use and rise in FPG is independent of age and
use of aspirin, beta-blockers, and angiotensin-converting
enzyme inhibitors.


PMID: 19188844 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
.

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