Epidemiology of Macrovascular Complications of Diabetes in South Asians and Comparison with Other Ethnicities

Abstract

South Asians have been shown to have increased abdominal adiposity, visceral fat, low muscle mass and subclinical inflammation, all of which make them prone to diabetes and its macrovascular complications. Diabetes is the most important risk factor for coronary artery disease in South Asia and South Asians with diabetes have a higher prevalence of CAD than Caucasians. Similar trend has been seen with stroke and cerebrovascular disease.. Importantly peripheral vascular disease and diabetic foot occur less frequently in South Asians compared to Caucasians. In addition, erectile dysfunction is emerging as an important complication of diabetes in South Asians and its association with cardiovascular disease is being recognised increasingly.