Does a common cholesterol drug make you more likely to get diabetes?
#247 The effect of pravastatin on insulin resistance in patients with CKD stage 1-3. A randomized, placebo-controlled cross over trial
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Pravastatin showed no significant change in HbA1c despite a small upward trend (0.75 mmol/mol increase), which was not statistically meaningful.
Most statins are linked to small HbA1c increases; pravastatin’s neutral result contradicts the assumption that all statins are equally diabetogenic.
Practical Takeaways
If you have early-stage kidney disease and are prescribed pravastatin, you likely don’t need to fear it will raise your blood sugar.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Pravastatin showed no significant change in HbA1c despite a small upward trend (0.75 mmol/mol increase), which was not statistically meaningful.
Most statins are linked to small HbA1c increases; pravastatin’s neutral result contradicts the assumption that all statins are equally diabetogenic.
Practical Takeaways
If you have early-stage kidney disease and are prescribed pravastatin, you likely don’t need to fear it will raise your blood sugar.
Publication
Journal
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation
Year
2025
Authors
Mai-Britt Skadborg, Henrik Birn, Niels Moeller, Niels Jessen, Lara Aygen Ozbay
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Claims (4)
HMG-CoA reductase inhibition with statins modestly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, particularly in individuals with pre-existing insulin resistance.
Taking pravastatin for 12 weeks didn’t make the body better or worse at using insulin to control blood sugar in people with early-stage kidney disease who don’t have diabetes.
After drinking a sugary solution, people with early kidney disease who took pravastatin had no meaningful difference in their blood sugar two hours later compared to those who took a sugar pill.
Taking pravastatin for 3 months didn’t raise or lower average blood sugar or long-term blood sugar control in people with early kidney disease who don’t have diabetes.