title: The effects of lipid-lowering drug therapy on cardiovascular responsiveness in type 2 diabetic patients.
abstract: Type 2 diabetes is associated with a high prevalence of dyslipidaemia and a high incidence of cardiovascular disease. Lipid lowering therapy with HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors (statins) reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic patients, effects which are believed to be partly due to improvements in vascular function. The aetiology of abnormal vascular function in type 2 diabetics is likely to be multifactorial and the pattern of vascular dysfunction in type 2 diabetes may differ from that which occurs in non-diabetic patients with dyslipidaemia. Abnormalities in endothelium derived hyperpolarising factor (EDHF) mediated vasodilation in resistance vessels may be more prominent in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes than in non-diabetic patients with endothelial dysfunction. The effects of lipid lowering therapy on vascular responsiveness may differ in type 2 diabetic patients from those found in non-diabetic patients. Statin therapy does not appear to improve responses to endothelial dependent vasodilators in type 2 diabetics, but may alter the ratio between nitric oxide (NO) and EDHF mediated responses. Fibrate therapy improves flow mediated dilation of brachial arteries in type 2 diabetic patients, but only appears to improve endothelium dependant vasodilator responses in resistance vessels when given in conjunction with co-enzyme Q.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Gold Coast Hospital, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia. laurie_howes@health.qld.gov.au
authors.forename: Laurence Guy
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Howes
mesh_terms: D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008074:Lipoproteins; D000804:Angiotensin II; D009638:Norepinephrine