Are Statins the Optimal Therapy for Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Diabetes? What Newer Agents Are There for the Treatment for Dyslipidemia in Diabetes? Are Triglycerides an Important Risk Factor for Diabetes?

Treating dyslipidemia is central to the prevention of cardiovascular disease in diabetes. Combination therapy may be necessary to adequately address dyslipidemia in diabetes. This chapter discusses the pathophysiology of dyslipidemia in Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and reviews the arguments for use of statins in both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in diabetes mellitus. It also discusses the evidence base for elevated triglycerides as an independent risk factor for CVD in diabetes mellitus and new emerging therapies for the treatment of dyslipidemia. There is a large body of evidence supporting treatment of dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus for primary and secondary prevention of CVD. There is strong epidemiological evidence to date that hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). Bezafibrate may have a prominent role in the management of dyslipidemia and CHD when targeted to a subgroup of patients with CHD.