Coronary artery disease and diabetes

The increased risk of cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients is well documented. A greater appreciation for the importance of this fact and regular use of secondary prevention strategies, including aggressive use of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors or other lipid-lowering agents to reduce cholesterol levels, are clearly indicated for diabetic patients with CAD. If no contraindications exist, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and aspirin also should be considered for these high-risk patients.