News

Lipid-Lowering Drug Benefits Similar for Diabetics


 

Lipid-lowering agents, particularly statins, significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in people with diabetes, to the extent that these patients may benefit from the drugs even more than nondiabetics do, according to Dr. Joào Costa of the University of Lisbon and associates.

Dr. Costa and associates reviewed 12 large studies that addressed lipid-lowering treatments and also included diabetic patients in all treatment arms.

Their metaanalysis showed that lipid-lowering drugs were equally effective in diabetic and nondiabetic patients in primary prevention. The use of statins or gemfibrozil reduced the risk of a first major coronary event by 21% in diabetic patients and by 23% in nondiabetics.

The results were similar for secondary prevention, except that diabetic patients benefited more than did nondiabetics. The use of statins or gemfibrozil reduced the risk of coronary artery disease death, nonfatal MI, revascularization procedures, and stroke to a greater degree in diabetic patients than it did in nondiabetics.

The magnitude of change in blood lipids for diabetic patients was comparable to that for nondiabetics. “Most trials showed a decrease of 15%–20% in total cholesterol and increases of 5%–7.5% in HDL cholesterol,” the investigators said (BMJ 2006 April 3 [Epub doi:10.1136/bmj.38793.468449.AE]).

“Our metaanalysis clearly confirms that reduction of LDL cholesterol concentrations results in an important decrease in major coronary events in diabetic patients and shows similar relative risk reductions and odds ratios for … diabetic and nondiabetic patients … in primary and secondary prevention. However, the absolute risk difference was three times higher in secondary prevention, reflecting the higher baseline cardiovascular risk of [diabetic] patients,” they noted.

Recommended Reading

Dronedarone Reduces Atrial Fib Hospitalizations : The novel amiodarone derivative is designed to provide the parent drug's efficacy without its toxicities.
MDedge Family Medicine
AFib Outcomes From Catheter Ablation Surpass Drug Management
MDedge Family Medicine
Many Tests Shore Up PAD Diagnosis, Gauge Severity
MDedge Family Medicine
Sildenafil, Iloprost Expand PAH Treatment Options
MDedge Family Medicine
Thyroid-Related Cardiovascular Concerns Limited to AFib
MDedge Family Medicine
Postop Neurocognitive Decline Tied To Elevated Inflammatory Markers
MDedge Family Medicine
Bariatric Surgery Slashes CVD Risk, RCT Needed
MDedge Family Medicine
Ultrasound Catheter Speeds Peripheral Clot Lysis
MDedge Family Medicine
Stent Thrombosis Rises When Clopidogrel Stops
MDedge Family Medicine
Intensive Statin Therapy Led to Regression of Atherosclerosis
MDedge Family Medicine