Diabetes as a vascular disease. Dyslipidemia as a target

Diabetes mellitus is a disorder involving multiple metabolic abnormalities that significantly increase risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Although most typically associated with dysregulated glucose, diabetes also leads to dyslipidemia, often characterized by elevated triglyceride levels, low highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and a preponderance of small, dense low-density lipoprotein particles. Subgroup analyses of long-term studies show that therapy with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A inhibitors (ie, "statins") significantly reduces risk of major CHD events in patients with diabetes as well as those with impaired fasting glucose.