Dive Brief:
- Researchers at McMaster University are working on ways to improve the long-term side-effect profile associated with statins, namely their link with diabetes.
- Adding Gyburide onto statin therapy could offset the hyperglycemic effect.
- Citing the proven efficacy of statins in reducing CVD risk, researchers are trying to improve the long-term side effect profile of statins in order to facilitate broad usage.
Dive Insight:
Statins are the most heavily prescribed drug in the world and they are effective in many ways. They also have several side effects that make their long-term use challenging, including muscle pain and deterioration, as well as an increased risk of diabetes. Researchers have discovered that statins activate an immune response that interferes with the way insulin functions in the body.
Although the way forward is not completely clear, according to the researchers, potential strategies include combination therapy with Glyburide, modification of the structure of statins or using natural or nutritional strategies to overcome statin-related adverse events.