The American Heart Association (AHA) has released new guidelines on the use of  cholesterol-fighting drugs such as Lipitor in preventing cardiovascular problems in adults.

Lipitor belongs to a class of drugs called statins, which lower the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol. Controlling a patient’s levels of LDL cholesterol can help prevent a host of cardiovascular illnesses like stroke and heart attack. The AHA recommends prescribing statins and tossing out cholesterol goal numbers, which would potentially keep patients on the drug permanently. However, several studies have linked statins like Lipitor to an increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes, especially in women over 50.

The new AHA guidelines, released in November 2013, recognize the usefulness of statins in combating high LDL levels. In fact, the AHA recommends keeping patients on the drugs indefinitely, without using them with a certain “goal” level of LDLs in mind. Along similar lines, the AHA guidelines recommend that several groups of patients should begin treatment with statins immediately, including patients who already have diabetes, patients with high LDL levels, and patients at risk for cardiovascular disease. These new guidelines could potentially increase the number of statin users in the United States substantially.

Lipitor and Type-2 Diabetes

Lipitor is already a blockbuster drug in the United States, raking in more than $125 billion since the drug was introduced in 1996. However, a certain percentage of patients have developed type-2 diabetes after using the drug. Recent studies suggest Lipitor increases the risk of diabetes in certain patients.

Type-2 diabetes is a metabolic disease wherein the body stops responding to insulin, leading to dangerously high levels of blood sugar, which can cause tissue damage. Type-2 diabetes can lead to complications like blindness, weight gain, and necrosis—dying tissue that may require amputation. The studies have found that postmenopausal women taking Lipitor had the greatest risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

Lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of Lipitor. These Lipitor lawsuits allege that manufacturers were aware of the risks of developing diabetes associated with these drugs, but marketed and promoted the drug anyway, endangering the public. Lipitor lawsuits allege that patients would have never used the drug had they been aware of the risk of serious medical complications associated with these drugs.

So many lawsuits have been filed by women who were diagnosed with diabetes after taking Lipitor that parties have moved to consolidate the cases into multidistrict litigation or MDL, a type of group lawsuit similar to a class action lawsuit.

Joining the Lipitor MDL may help women seek faster resolution of their claims and potentially receive compensation for the damages caused by Lipitor diabetes. The proposed Lipitor MDL is In Re: Lipitor (Atorvastatin Calcium) Marketing, Sales Practices and Product Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2459, in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.