Lipid-lowering drug therapy for reducing cardiovascular risk in diabetes. A clinical view of the Cardiovascular Disease Working Group of the Spanish Diabetes Society

Abstract

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus managed in both hospital and out-ofhospital settings usually have a high/very high cardiovascular risk, with a high burden of cardiovascular disease. All this justifies that the reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is the main therapeutic goal in diabetes. However, residual cardiovascular risk is very prevalent in type 2 diabetes, and is usually associated with atherogenic dyslipidemia and hyperlipoproteinemia(a); therefore, it is also necessary to reverse these lipoprotein abnormalities to achieve effective cardiovascular prevention. Given the considerable armamentarium of lipid-lowering drugs currently available, the Cardiovascular Disease Working Group of the Spanish Diabetes Society has considered it appropriate to carry out a narrative review and update of the effectiveness of these lipid-lowering drugs in the population with type 2 diabetes taking into account their effect on the lipoprotein profile and their potential impact on glycemic control.