IN BRIEF

Because type 2 diabetes can be considered a cardiovascular disease in its own right, current American Diabetes Association and National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines recommend aggressive treatment of dyslipidemia in people with diabetes, particularly for elevated LDL cholesterol levels. Use of appropriate treatment as determined by the pattern of lipid abnormalities can substantially reduce the risk of macrovascular disease. Institution of tight glycemic control will be beneficial to most patients, but the majority of people with diabetes will also require diet therapy, weight reduction when necessary, and intensive lipid-lowering therapy, which commonly involves one of the statins or fibric acid derivatives.