Ezetimibe/statin combination therapy to treat patients with type 2 diabetes

Patients with diabetes represent a population at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Diabetic dyslipidemia is characterized by the so-called atherogenic lipid triad, consisting of an increase in small dense low density lipoprotein particles and in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, with an increase in non-HDL cholesterol. Numerous trials have investigated the efficacy of add-on ezetimibe therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes and not controlled by statin therapy. The published data highly suggest that patients with type 2 diabetes may be more likely to benefit from ezetimibe/statin combination therapy. However, evidence specifically addressing hard clinical endpoints and prospective trials addressing differences in response between patients with or without diabetes are still needed.