Monitoring effects of statin therapy in diabetics
Ensure that LDL levels decrease appropriately in response to statin treatment.
Clinical notes
After a statin has been started for the first time, check lipids in 3 months. If lipids are not reduced by at least 30% then recommend increasing the dose of the statin. High intensity statin therapy is expected to achieve a 50% or greater reduction in LDL, moderate intensity will reduce by 30-49%; benefit with statin has been shown to be linearly correlated with the LDL level thus lower is better. Based on ADA Diabetes standards of care 2023 recommendation 10.17: obtain a lipid profile at initiation of statins or other lipid-lowering therapy, 4-12 weeks after initiation or a change in dose, and annually thereafter as it may help to monitor the response to therapy and inform medication taking.
