High cardiovascular risk in patients with diabetes and the cardiometabolic syndrome: mandate for statin therapy.
Diabetes mellitus confers a high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and requires aggressive management of all cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetic dyslipidemia. Although levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are often normal or only slightly elevated in persons with diabetes, lipid-altering therapy with statins has been shown in large, randomized, controlled trials to decrease the risk of cardiovascular complications in this patient population. A target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of <70 mg/dL is now a therapeutic option in patients at very high risk for coronary heart disease, including patients with diabetes. Diabetes is also a leading cause of end-stage renal disease. In addition to their lipid-modifying effects, statins have been shown to slow the progression of diabetic nephropathy and potentially exert other renoprotective effects; these benefits, however, remain to be confirmed in clinical trials.
University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, USA.
Guido Lastra
GL
Gonzalez
Camila Margarita
CM
Manrique
James R
JR
Sowers
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors