Diabetes and Heart Disease: An Evidence-Driven Guide to Risk Factors Management in Diabetes

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is a worldwide epidemic. Cardiovascular diseases remain the major cause of death in patients with diabetes, partly because of the association of diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. In this review, we will discuss the evidence for treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases in patients with diabetes. Aggressive treatment of hypertension and dyslipidemia is at the cornerstone in the management of heart disease in those patients. Despite its known benefit on the prevention of the microvascular complications of diabetes, intensive glycemic control may or may not have a significant effect on reducing macrovascular diseases. Finally, lifestyle changes and other cardiovascular therapies aimed at preventing heart disease may also prevent or delay the development of diabetes.