Statins protect every patient with type 2 diabetes
Does a patient with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, but with no additional risk factors and a low cardiovascular risk, really need statins? The research findings are clear.
Many doctors are hesitant to prescribe medication for primary prevention, fearing adverse effects whilst the benefits remain uncertain. The latest data from the UK published in the *Annals of Internal Medicine* suggest that delaying this step may be unjustified.
The researchers conducted a large-scale cohort analysis using data from British primary healthcare. Patients with type 2 diabetes were divided into four groups based their 10-year cardiovascular risk, calculated using the QRISK3 scale: from low (<10 per cent) to very high (≥30 per cent).
The results are unequivocal – it was found that the initiation of statin therapy brought measurable benefits in every group studied , including patients with the lowest risk (<10 per cent). In this theoretically ‘safe’ population, statin therapy was associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality (20 per cent) and a reduction in major cardiovascular events (22 per cent).
Importantly for the clinician, the safety profile was very favourable. No increased incidence of liver dysfunction was noted, and a slightly increased risk of myopathy was observed only in the intermediate group.
The findings of this study call into question the validity of a ‘wait-and-see’ strategy. Even if the risk calculator indicates low values, the mere presence of metabolic disease means that the inclusion of a statin in primary prevention brings benefits in the form of a longer life and a healthier cardiovascular system.
