A new approach to enhancing heart disease medication

It is estimated that over 17 million people die of cardiovascular disease (CVD) annually, with one American dying of CVD every 33 seconds on average. In addition to maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle, drugs known as “statins” are commonly used to treat heart disease.

Statins are hydrophilic (water-soluble), synthetic compounds which work by inhibiting the production of cholesterol, as well as aiding in the reabsorption of cholesterol built up in plaques on artery walls. This improves transport of blood through the arteries, thus reducing strain on the heart. By doing this, the chances of patients with CVD of having cardiac arrest or a stroke decreases.  The hydrophilic nature of statins enables them to reach their target regions efficiently, without damaging internal organs or disrupting the central nervous system.

However, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), statins such as Lipitor have been shown to increase an individual’s blood sugar levels and promote the development of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). As a result, the FDA has implemented a regulation which requires all statin labels to include a warning about elevated blood sugar levels and T2D. This revelation has influenced many individuals to refuse to take statins, due to the risk of developing T2D and high blood glucose levels. These complications would create insulin resistance in the patient, consequently harming their cardiovascular health and making them prone to other cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis.

However, by refusing to take statins, patients will endanger themselves by worsening their cardiovascular health. This conflict has left many consumers unsure of what end of the balance to lean on – whether it’s ceasing to take statins or continue to take them with the risk that they pose.

Thankfully, researchers at McMaster University’s Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences have developed a potential solution. Assistant professor and Canadian Diabetes Association Scholar, Dr. Schertzer, has discovered a pathway that connects statins and diabetes. He and his team “found that statins activated a very specific immune response, which stopped insulin from doing its job properly.” Through persistent research, they discovered that a drug called Glyburide mediated the effect of elevated blood sugar levels. According to Schertzer, this discovery has the potential for development of novel molecules which do not interfere with the benefits of statins in the immune pathway.

At this stage of the process, the group aims to determine how statins promote diabetes by understanding how they behave in the pancreas, which is responsible for the secretion of insulin. Dr. Schertzer and his team advocate the therapeutic properties of statins, as they are drugs which elicit positive results. However, in order to improve them they must understand the “immune-metabolism pathway” which statins have been theorized to act on.

By introducing statins that do not pose such a risk of insulin resistance, consumers will be able to comfortably take their heart medications, knowing that they are taking their health in the right direction.