Statin-diabetes association: what’s the skinny?

From a recent review in CCJM:

The evidence from individual clinical trials is mixed, but meta-analyses indicate that statin therapy is associated with approximately a 9% higher risk of diabetes (an absolute difference of about 0.4%).

We need to interpret this information cautiously. Many potentially confounding factors are involved, and rigorous prospective trials are needed to examine this issue.

The benefit of preventing serious cardiovascular events seems to outweigh the higher risks of diabetes and poorer glycemic control, and we should continue to give statins to patients at moderate to high risk, including those with diabetes, with vigilance for these side effects.