[Diabetes and atherosclerosis].
Recently, the number of diabetic patients in Japan has increased and reached 6 millions, and it was estimated that 1.5 million diabetic patients were suffering from diabetic complications of microangiopathy (neuropathy, retinopathy and nephropathy) and macroangiopathy. According to the study for the causes of death among Japanese diabetic patients during 10 years from 1981 to 1990, mean longevity of diabetic patients was shorter of 9.4 years in men and 13.5 years in women than those of non-diabetics. Forty percent of diabetic patients died from the vascular diseases (ischemic heart disease 14.6%, cerebrovascular disease 13.5% and renal disease 11.2%). The frequency of death due to ischemic heart disease was almost double in diabetic patients in comparison to non-diabetics in Japan. From the data obtained from the study of Japanese-American, more than 50% of them showed abnormal glucose tolerance and the frequency of ischemic heart disease was higher twice than that of Japanese. Diabetes has been recognized as one of the important risk factors for atherosclerosis, and so many factors, such as hyperglycemia, glycation, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, hypertension and obesity in diabetes, are related to atherosclerosis. The relation of these factors will be introduced. Clinically, it is very important to make a check list of these factors and make an effort to diminish them for prevention of atherosclerosis of diabetic patients.
Okeda
T
T
First Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University.
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications