Statins and Diabetes: What You Should Know

"Lifestyle changes such as eating healthy and being active are an important part of managing diabetes. But your doctor may also prescribe a combination of medicines to help you manage your diabetes and reduce the risk of complications. Because heart disease is one of the most common complications of diabetes, taking statins to lower your cholesterol levels can be key to preventing heart disease and stroke.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people in the United States, especially among White, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander people. While heart disease and stroke can affect anyone, people with certain health conditions, like diabetes, are at higher risk. People with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke compared to people without diabetes. And the longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to have heart disease. This is because over time, high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and nerves that control your heart.

A common cause of heart disease for people with diabetes is plaque (cholesterol deposits) that builds up in the arteries. When plaque continues to build, your arteries narrow, making it harder for blood to flow to your heart. This can cause heart muscles to weaken, which can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. For this reason, your doctor may prescribe a statin (blood cholesterol-lowering medicine) to reduce your risk of heart disease.

About half of people who are taking medicine to manage their high blood cholesterol are using a statin. While statin use is highly recommended to lower the risk of heart disease, research shows that younger adults, women, and people without insurance are less likely to receive a statin prescription. Compared with non-Hispanic White people, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic people have lower rates of cholesterol management. Further, women and Black adults are less likely to use statins. It’s important to know your risk for heart disease and stroke and to talk to your health care professional about all possible treatment plans.

What Are Statins?

Statins are a type of cholesterol-lowering medicine that reduces the amount of cholesterol made in the liver. Statins also help remove LDL (“bad”) cholesterol that’s already in the blood and raise your HDL (“good”) cholesterol. They can also:

• Reduce the buildup of plaque on the walls of your arteries.
• Stabilize plaque so that it doesn’t break off and block blood flow to the heart or brain.
• Decrease swelling in the walls of your arteries.
• Decrease the chance of blood clots forming.

There are several types of statins, each with different dosage levels and intensity (strength). A statin prescription will be based on your individual factors. These include your blood cholesterol levels, your risk for heart disease, and your tolerance of a specific statin. Your health care team will work with you to determine the best type and dosage to reduce your risk of heart disease and manage your diabetes..."
Statins and Diabetes