Statin drugs and diabetes

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I can't tell you how many times I've triaged patients in the ED and have had to add one or more pages of medications to this already comprehensive form.  Sadly, many times subsequent medical complaints and illness come as a result of a combination of medications that patients are already taking. Cholesterol medications, diabetes and  blood pressure medications top the list of commonly prescribed medications that can cause severe side effects.

I just finished reading a very disturbing article about the association with statin drugs and hyperglycemia, or elevated blood sugar and diabetes.  This blog will summarize the findings regarding the incidence of hyperglycemia and statin use.

Statin drugs

The statin drugs are usually prescribed to lower blood cholesterol and prevent high cholesterol in high risk individuals.   Such drugs include: lipitor, zocor, Lescol, Mevacor, Pravachol and Crestor.  The statins work by blocking an enzyme in the liver which manufactures cholesterol.  This class of drugs is also used to prevent and treat existing high cholesterol in patients that already  have this disorder.

Diabetes and the Statins

Statins invoke diabetes through several different mechanisms.  The most significant is that they increase the insulin levels-which can be detrimental to the health.  While insulin is required to maintain blood glucose levels, elevated insulin causes chronic inflammation in the body. This is the start of chronic disease since inflammation causes a build up of free radicals in the body which weakens the body's defenses.

Chronic insulin elevation is also responsible for high blood pressure, heart attacks, chronic fatigue, thyroid disruption and disease such as Parkinson's Alzheimer's and cancer.  Further, statins increase your diabetes risk by raising your blood sugar.  When you eat a meal that contains starches and sugar, some of the excess sugar goes to the liver where it is stored away as cholesterol and triglycerides.  Statins work by preventing the liver from making cholesterol.  As a result the liver returns the sugar to the bloodstream which causes the blood sugar levels to rise.

Statins are detrimental in that they rob the body of valuable nutrients which also impact the blood sugar levels.  Two nutrients in particular are necesssary to maintain ideal blood glucose levels.  They are vitamin D and CoQ10, which are both important in ideal blood glucose levels.

In Summary

Discuss with your doctor your concerns and see if you are candidate for other treatment of elevated cholesterol such as through diet and exercise.  There are many, many natural substances that will reduce cholesterol such as oatmeal ad other high fiber foods.

Source:

"Diabetes and the Statins" www.mercola.com

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