Ann Intern Med

Statins linked to CV benefits in type 2 diabetes—even when predicted 10-year CV risk is low

January 2, 2026

Starting a statin for primary prevention in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was linked to reduced all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular disease—across the spectrum of predicted 10-year CV risk—in this target trial emulation matched cohort study.

Patients with T2DM aged 25-84 years from a UK primary care database who initiated a statin were propensity-score matched to patients who didn’t initiate a statin, from 2005-2016 with 10 years of follow-up. Predicted 10-year CV risk was stratified as low, <10%; intermediate, 10-19%; high, 20-29%; and very high, ≥30%. Statin initiation was linked to reduced all-cause mortality and major CV disease across all risk strata. A small, elevated risk for myopathy was noted only in the moderate-risk stratum; no elevated risk for liver dysfunction was seen in any stratum.

Source:

Yan VKC, et al. (2025, December 30). Ann Intern Med. Effectiveness and Safety of Statins in Type 2 Diabetes According to Baseline Cardiovascular Risk : A Target Trial Emulation Study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41461087/