R e v i e w s / C o m m e n t a r i e s / A D A S t a t e m e n t s P E R S P E C T I V E S Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes ZACHARY T. BLOOMGARDEN, MD
disease were associated with increasedrisk, the increased event rates among di-abetic patients were not fully explained
Perspectives on the News commentaries arepart of a free monthly CME activity. The
nary artery disease (CAD) equivalent. Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York,New York, designates this activity for 2.0
522 diabetic individuals with average age
AMA PRA Category 1 credits. If you wish toparticipate, review this article and visit www.
confirmed that “the risk is pretty close in
diabetes.procampus.net to complete a post-test and receive a certificate. The Mount
stract 692) presented an interesting view
Sinai School of Medicine is accredited by theAccreditation Council for Continuing Medi-cal Education (ACCME) to provide continu-ing medical education for physicians.
regional perfusion deficit, of moderate or
addressing aspects of cardiovascular dis-
to 2001. There was striking similarity of
Is it, then, possible to stratify patients
ease in diabetic patients at the American
event rates in both sexes and at all ages
Diabetes Association’s 67th Scientific Ses-
test? Existing predictive equations, such
sions, 22–26 June 2007, in Chicago, Illi-
Postgraduate Course, 1–3 February 2008,
in San Francisco, California (the course is
Study, those with both a history of diabe-
available online at http://professional.
tes and prior myocardial infarction had a
Diagnostic Criteria in Europe) study data,
either under- or overestimate risk of fatal
abetic patients with a history of myocar-
however, that one must be cautious in as-
sex may not be sufficiently precise predic-
diabetes “really have CAD,” stating in-
atherosclerosis in diabetes may be related
stead that, in a typical individual with di-
to glycated proteins in the vessel wall; to
in patients with diabetes held at the Amer-
Furthermore, after a cardiovascular event
of insulin resistance; or to specific ele-
low HDL cholesterol or the elevated levels
readily quantitate the “amount of CAD.”
of free fatty acids; small, dense LDL; and
established relationship between diabetes
large, cholesterol ester–rich VLDL parti-
Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions,
strated in the East-West Study of a North-
tality rate among nondiabetic individuals
zone’s study of potential explanatory fac-
tion. Subjects with a history of myocardial
infarction had an 18.8% risk, while those
carotid ultrasound, and level of albumin-
without a history of myocardial infarction
by the traditional factors of age, sex, race/
but with a history of diabetes had a 20.2%
of diabetic subjects had at least one abnor-
7-year risk (1), forming the basis of the
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
tients receiving statins, LDL level was nota significant predictor).
Zachary T. Bloomgarden, MD, is a practicing endocrinologist in New York, New York, and is affiliated withthe Division of Endocrinology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York. Abbreviations: ADA, American Diabetes Association; apo, apolipoprotein; CAD, coronary artery disease;
are that cardiac stress testing is warranted
CETP, cholesterol ester transfer protein; CVD, cardiovascular disease; DCCT, Diabetes Control and Com-
for diabetic patients with typical or atyp-
plications Trial; IMT, intima-media thickness; PET, positron emission tomography; SPECT, single-photon
emission-computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging; UKPDS, UK Prospective Diabetes Study.
DOI: 10.2337/dc08-zb06 2008 by the American Diabetes Association.
DIABETES CARE, VOLUME 31, NUMBER 6, JUNE 2008
Bloomgarden
questioned whether there is evidence that
assessing the a priori likelihood that a per-
abetes and without clinical CAD, half had
screening will lead to an intervention that
will improve outcome. In a trial of nondi-
tures are less useful in the diabetic patient,
given the greater likelihood of CAD in di-
coronary intervention plus medical treat-
diabetic patients at younger ages, and the
medical treatment alone in risk of death,
myocardial infarction, or other major car-
in diabetic patients in general. A coronary
diovascular events (5). “What do we do,”
arteriogram is considered appropriate for
asymptomatic diabetic patient?” If there is
and -negative stress testing, but typically
it is carried out in individuals who have a
myocardial perfusion, with the latter ap-
positive test and are clinically at high risk,
pearing to be more specific, as it also gives
there is no strategy clearly differentiating
whether a given diabetic patient is at low
or high risk, he suggested, “we are left
fact, Balady suggested, the sensitivity and
specificity of the exercise electrocardio-
change in the ejection fraction with stress
diabetic patients.” The only medical ther-
PET gives additional information pertain-
ing to the extent of coronary disease, and
cholesterol goal for individuals with es-
important that a negative test be associ-
large breast size. As with the stress elec-
ated with good prognosis. Exercise capac-
factor, as is heart rate recovery after exer-
cise, with a pulse decrease by Ͻ12 bpm in
mented, “will be very expensive and will
the first minute associated with increased
lead to interventions that will also be very
mortality (7). In a study presented at the
be seen as additive to the clinical data. As
expensive,” as well as being associated
creases several years after a normal study.
other procedure-related complications.
Reversibility of ischemia may guide deci-
“We’re left with assessing CV risk using
the standard risk factors,” with the A1C
goal Ͻ7% the one “for which we have less
monstrable in individuals with large areas
with specificity 0.72 for abnormal dobut-
of reversible ischemia (8), although as yet
noting that stress testing is designed to
is associated with particularly high risk
for the heart rate and was 0.85, with spec-
ificity 0.39, for an abnormal heart rate re-
suggested that coronary calcification as-
covery pattern, supporting Balady’s view.
sessment may be a useful screening tool to
He suggested that the exercise test can be
with myocardial wall stress related to ven-
ties in the inferior portion of the heart and
cussed the use of coronary artery calcium
which is useful in patients with left bun-
ening, also contributing. With graded in-
sion at rest. The likelihood of events is low
systolic blood pressure increase to a goal
study, although after several years risk in-
leads to formation of osteoblast-like cells
creases, and there is uncertainty about the
220 minus years of age, as lower achieved
interval after which repeat testing should
arterial wall, activated by advanced glyca-
heart rates may result in falsely negative
be performed. The diagnostic value of the
tests. Ischemic ST depression, either hor-
vascular function. There are a variety of
genetic and environmental factors leading
to atherosclerosis and to coronary calcifi-
lower for inferior or inferolateral ischemia
than for ischemia in the distribution of the
CAD in asymptomatic diabetic patients.
DIABETES CARE, VOLUME 31, NUMBER 6, JUNE 2008
Perspectives on the News NEWS FROM THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION From time to time, new announcements by the FDA pertaining to aspects of diabetestreatment will be highlighted in this section.
At the Postgraduate Course, Alan Chait(Seattle, WA) reviewed approaches to
Issues pertaining to regulation of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising, includ-
ing how it relates to communication with subsets of the general population such
are limited data regarding benefits of gly-
as the elderly, children, and racial and ethnic minority communities, remain
important to the FDA. The Risk Communication Advisory Committee held a
hearing on the topic on 15 May 2008. The serious attention being paid to this
topic is exemplified in a warning letter sent to Pfizer on 16 April 2008 regarding
DTC advertising for sildenafil (Viagra) reminding the company that some tele-
vision advertisements have not included warnings about potential adverse effects
of sexual activity in individuals with cardiovascular disease and about the po-
tential risks of priapism, non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, and
hearing loss associated with use of the agent.
(11), and in a meta-analysis of a group of
On 27 March 2008, the FDA warned consumers that two products, “Total Body
studies (12) suggest that as glucose levels
Formula” in Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar flavors and “Total Body Mega
Formula” in the Orange/Tangerine flavor, had been sold with hazardous levels of
selenium, causing hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain, deformed fin-
however, suggesting that the relationship
gernails, and fatigue after 5–10 days of use. Many multivitamin supplements
contain selenium, with a report last year showing that supplementation of 200
g daily (twice the recommended daily allowance) is associated with more than
the “glucose paradox.” (3) In mice with
a doubling of diabetes risk (Stranges S, Marshall JR, Natarajan R, Donahue RP,
Trevisan M, Combs GF, Cappuccio FP, Ceriello A, Reid ME: Effects of long-term
ing the LDL receptor, he said, “hyperlip-
selenium supplementation on the incidence of type 2 diabetes: a randomized
trial. Ann Intern Med 147:217-223, 2007). An addendum on 1 May 2008 also
noted that toxic levels of chromium were found in these products, suggesting the
myocardial infarction in the UKPDS failed
importance of careful screening of dietary supplements used by patients with
(though barely) to reach statistical signif-
icance, and stroke was nonsignificantlyincreased by 11%. (14) There was a sig-nificant 39% decrease in myocardial in-farction and a 41% decrease in stroke
in the same study the combination of met-
nary calcium level, the latter is the more
formin with a sulfonylurea led to signifi-
with angioplasty, and at all levels of isch-
alone, as well as to a nonsignificant in-
crease in diabetes-related events (15). A
he also noted that not all diabetic patients
cept of diabetes as a CVD risk equivalent
obstructive atherosclerosis will not have
evidence of ischemia but are at risk of cor-
not adjudicated, and incorrect statistical
higher- from lower-risk diabetic patients.
mality of sympathetic tone in the setting
“Calcium,” he said, “has been one of the
very debated markers,” and although “the
stress test difficult to interpret, perhaps
significance of the association (17,18).
calcified plaque may be stable, the calci-
leading to higher false-positive rates in di-
fied patient may not be stable,” with a
abetic patients. Ideally, screening should
high coronary calcium score therefore in-
increase heart failure, and neither is asso-
dicating a individual with a greater degree
from intervention; Raggi suggested that at
present “there’s no clarity in the field,”
mortality (20). Chait asked, “How do we
get a solution to this confusion?” It may
for screening too restrictive because they
be, he suggested, that glycemic treatment
strongly predictive than stenosis of mor-
in other vascular beds. Although there is
cost-effective, he suggested that coronary
score are useful in defining risk, and dia-
calcium score or, alternatively, carotid in-
cium score are at relatively low risk.
(21), and others have shown that the met-
DIABETES CARE, VOLUME 31, NUMBER 6, JUNE 2008
Bloomgarden
abolic syndrome adds risk to that associ-
tion of whether fibrates have benefit ad-
ceptibility syndrome in which visceral ad-
At the Postgraduate Course, Allan Snider-
factors, not all of which are included in
the current definition of the syndrome.
we are “measuring the right things” in as-
Chait considered dyslipidemia the critical
apoB is a better index of the concentration
of atherogenic lipids in plasma and, there-
fore, a better target than LDL cholesterol
(apo)B and low HDL cholesterol levels.
erosclerotic lesion, he said, is not simply a
pool of cholesterol in the arterial wall but
ping of an apoB particle with both protec-
without apoAII in the HDL2 fraction.
cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP)
initiating event is the entry and trapping
of an apoB lipoprotein particle, typically
statin reduced events by ϳ25% in all sub-
similar benefit in individuals with diabe-
mented, “HDL is incredibly complicated,”
tes with or without CHD, with low or high
levels. In a meta-analysis, statins were as-
of reverse cholesterol transport, including
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects
both type 1 and type 2 diabetes (24). In-
terol mass within all apoB-containing par-
as part of the innate immune system, such
creased CVD risk in individuals with type
ticles. The number of LDL particles is ϳ9
1 diabetes was particularly present in the
times greater than that of VLDL particles,
stances of intensive insulin treatment (25)
sured on nonfasting samples because it is
(34), and there is particularly good evi-
dence of benefit of aggressive blood pres-
efit of statins. Certainly, there is a direct
in stroke, heart failure, and microvascular
particles, each still containing one apoB
event rates (27), leading Chait to suggest
benefit,” in the blood pressure treatment
that “any form of LDL lowering is associ-
ated with benefit.” The VA-HIT (Veterans
of aspirin in diabetic patients was shown
18 studies that have prospectively evalu-
ated apoB vs. LDL, all showing the former
vention Trial) (28) showed that gemfibro-
study (37) and in the Antiplatelet Trial-
to be more strongly associated with CVD.
ists’ Collaboration (38). “Finally,” Chait
asked, “where does adiposity fit in?” He
noted, “If you block adiposity, you could
particle number is a covariate (44). “It is
the LDL particle itself which creates the
ations, Chait suggested that, particularly
atherogenic lesion in the arterial wall,”
should offer all individuals with diabetes
small nor large particles are preferable;
the benefit of intensive treatment with st-
rather, it is the number of particles that is
atins, angiotensin-directed antihyperten-
renal effect (29), so the important ques-
DIABETES CARE, VOLUME 31, NUMBER 6, JUNE 2008
Perspectives on the News
relatively inexpensive, accurate, and stan-
and stroke. He pointed out that stroke is
dardized and does not require fasting.
tients include statins (57) and blood pres-
and the third leading cause of death in the
US and, because of its higher frequency in
with angiotensin-directed agents (58,59).
levels from those with elevations in both,
tifactorial intervention (41). In its most
diabetic patients with the intensive inter-
diagnosis of type III hyperlipidemia, fa-
erosclerosis alone, by emboli as seen with
atrial fibrillation and heart failure, and by
a variety of other conditions. Risk factors
rette use, alcohol excess, and diabetes. In-
sulin resistance is associated with stroke.
A variety of measures, including proinsu-
there may be such a relationship (26).
lin, fasting insulin, postload insulin, and
not characteristically high in type 2 dia-
betes, apoB is elevated in the majority of
glucose ratio are stroke risk factors (45–
type 2 diabetic individuals, “so this is a
49), and obesity is associated with stroke
major problem in your patients.” A sub-
stantial number of diabetic patients have
hattan Stroke) study of 3,298 stroke-free
abetic populations in macrovascular risk.
with history of a stroke before study en-
due to lipohyalinosis associated with fibrin
Sniderman said, “the evidence supports”
diabetic glomerular disease, contributing to
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DIABETES CARE, VOLUME 31, NUMBER 6, JUNE 2008
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