Statins may be linked to diabetes risk

"The popular class of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may slightly raise the risk of type 2 diabetes, but experts say the benefits of these potentially lifesaving drugs far outweigh the risks. A new review of 13 studies on statins and their side effects with a total of more than 91,140 participants found use of statins increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 9%. This risk was found primarily among older people; there was no additional diabetes risk among statin users 60 and under. Researchers stress that this study does not prove that statins directly raise the risk of diabetes, but it raises the possibility of either a direct or indirect link between statins and diabetes that merits further investigation. They say the absolute risk of developing diabetes as a side effect of statin use is still small, especially compared to the much larger beneficial effect that statins have on reducing the risk of heart attack and other complications of heart disease" - webMD