Statins and Diabetes

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Statins and Diabetes

Foessel

Holly Firfer

Monday, April 19, 2004

The American diabetes association says nearly 65% of those with Type

II Diabetes, will die of complications associated with heart disease

and stroke this year, but medical experts now say there's a new

solution from an old drug.

Cholesterol lowering drugs called statins, can save the life of

someone with coronary artery disease. Now, the American College of

Physicians says the more than 18 million adults with type two

diabetes should take the same life saving drugs.

After numerous studies, the ACP developed new guidelines, and doctors

are recommending all adults with Type II Diabetes and coronary heart

disease take statins, or the non-statin drug Gemifibrozil. The drugs

are very effective in lowering cholesterol and preventing heart

disease from even developing. They also recommend those with Type

II Diabetes and a risk factor such as high blood pressure, high

cholesterol, smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, or those 55 and

older, take statins as well.

Doctors once thought premenopausal women with Type II Diabetes were

inherently protected against heart disease, but these new aggressive

guidelines say even these women should take statins.

According to the ACP, statins are extremely safe, except for people

with liver problems or for someone taking drugs that can interact

with statins. The American College of Physicians suggests, doctors

should get diabetes patients on a statin regimen as soon as possible,

and not wait until that patient has high cholesterol.

This story can be found at:

http://www.newschannel7online.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSPA%

2FMGArticle%2FSPA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031774973742&path=!

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