The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently added warnings to the labels of widely used cholesterol drugs called statins, which include Pfizer Inc.’s Lipitor. The new labels warn that the drugs may raise blood sugar levels, could cause memory loss, and may increase the risk of Type II diabetes.
According to a Reuters story, researchers with the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worchester drew data from the Women’s Health Initiative, which included more than 150,000 diabetes-free women in their 50s, 60s and 70s. They followed participants for six to seven years, on average, and kept track of how many were diagnosed with diabetes.
They reported that women who took statins were 48 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than those not taking statins.
The story says that previous studies mostly involving men suggested a smaller, 10-to-12-percent increase in diabetes among statin users.
Another Reuters story quotes an FDA spokeswoman as saying the agency’s decision to change the labels was said they were based on review of medical literature, clinical trial data and reports of adverse events.
Patients should consult their doctors before making any changes in their medication. A consultation with a Lopez McHugh lawyer is also important if there are significant injuries.
See stories on statins here:
https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/28/us-fda-statins-idUSTRE81R1O220120228
https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/09/us-statin-diabetes-idUSTRE80826K20120109
See the FDA announcement of the label changes here:
https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm293101.htm
