New safety warnings have been issued by federal health officials regarding a widely prescribed group of cholesterol-lowering medications.  The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday they are adding new safety warnings about risk of memory loss and elevated blood sugar to statins.  This includes medicines like Pfizer, Inc.’s Lipitor, AstraZeneca’s Crestor and Merck & Co., Inc.’s Zocor. 

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The  new labels are due to certain patients complaining about memory loss and confusion.  The updated labels will also include mention of elevated levels of blood sugar, associated with Type 2 diabetes, that was also reported by some patients.  The link between diabetes and statins has also been supported by mulitple studies over the last five years.  Meanwhile, cardiologists stated Tuesday that the livesaving benefits of statin drugs still outweigh the risks with flying colors.

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