London, Feb 17 (ANI): Statins, which help to lower cholesterol levels, can increase the risk of diabetes, a new study shows.

In the new research, the popular heart drug has been shown to boost diabetes risk by nine per cent in over-60s.

According to a meta-analysis, combining the results of 13 trials, for every person who developed diabetes, five would have kept heart attack or heart disease at bay thanks to the pills, reports The Daily Express.

However, the researchers say they do not know why the drugs might cause diabetes or if it is simply down to chance.

The review, by a team from the University of Glasgow, involved more than 90,000 patients. Over four years, 4,278 developed diabetes and 2,226 of these had been prescribed statins.

The team believes that for every 255 patients taking statins over a four-year period there will be one extra case of diabetes.

Writing in the Lancet, Dr David Preiss of Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, who led the study concluded: “In view of the overwhelming benefit of statins for reduction of cardiovascular events, the small absolute risk for development of diabetes is outweighed by cardiovascular benefit in the short and medium term in individuals for whom statin therapy is recommended.

“We therefore suggest that clinical practice for statin therapy does not need to change for patients with moderate or high cardiovascular risk or existing cardiovascular disease.

“However, the potentially raised diabetes risk should be taken into account if statin therapy is considered for patients at low cardiovascular risk or patient groups in which cardiovascular benefit has not been proven.” (ANI)