Abstract

Lipid management in Type 2 diabetes: the case for combination therapy?

Author(s): Christoph H Saely, Veronika Drexel, Alexander Vonbank and Heinz Drexel

Cardiovascular disease determines the prognosis of patients with Type 2 diabetes, and because lipids play a central role in atherogenesis, lipid management in diabetic patients is of paramount importance. Given the large body of evidence demonstrating the cardiovascular risk reduction with the primarily low-density lipoprotein-lowering statins, these drugs represent the basis of lipid management in patients with Type 2 diabetes. However, the majority of cardiovascular events even with potent statin therapy cannot be prevented. Combination therapy with other lipid-lowering interventions therefore appears interesting as it may provide additional benefit. Data on the safety and efficacy of combination lipid therapy from large outcome trials are still limited. However, the evidence already available provides a rationale for combination lipid therapy in patients with Type 2 diabetes.