The analysis of data from 204 cardiology practices unveiled that at least 38 percent of diabetics are never prescribed statins.
The American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Association all recommend that anyone over the age of 40 with diabetes be prescribed statins.
Not only did the researchers find that so many diabetics are not being prescribed statins, but that prescriptions are randomly assigned. The researchers found a 57 percent variation in statin-prescribing practices, even after taking into account a person’s risk factors. For example, if you look at two patients who are identical but are seeing different cardiologists, there is a 57 percent chance that one of them will be prescribed statins over the other.
Although the study findings suggest there are not enough diabetics receiving life-saving statins, it did reveal that more diabetics today are receiving statins than before. This upward trend shows that more lives may be saved and that these individuals will have a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.