Feb 15, 2023
Researchers at the Health Quality Council are part of a Canadian drug safety network that has found there is an increased risk of developing diabetes among people who take high potency statins–cholesterol-lowering drugs—after a heart attack or stroke.
In the most comprehensive study of its kind, CNODES found a 15% relative increase in risk of diabetes within two years of starting treatment with high potency statins, as compared with low potency statins. This means that one additional case of diabetes was estimated to have occurred for every 350 patients treated with a high potency statin after a heart attack or stroke.
The researchers recommend that doctors, in consultation with their patients, consider whether low potency statins might be appropriate for some patients in light of the risks associated with higher doses.
The study findings will be published in the British Medical Journal to be published online at www.bmj.com today.
Gary Teare, HQC’s Director of Measurement and Analysis is the Saskatchewan Site Lead/Principal Investigator of our province’s arm of CNODES comprised of:
• HQC researchers Nianping Hu, Xinya Lu, Wenbin Li, and Shan Jin.
• HQC adjunct scientists from the University of Saskatchewan: David Blackburn, Associate Professor of Pharmacy, and Charity Evans and Wasem Alsabbagh from the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition.
• Lisa Lix, Professor and Manitoba Research Chair, Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba.
• Brandy Winquist from Cypress Health Region.
CNODES is part of the Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network which is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
