Do all diabetic patients need statins? A view from primary care

Abstract

A majority of type 2 diabetic patients now receive routine care from their General Practitioner. The biggest single cause of mortality amongst such patients is ischaemic heart disease; diabetes is now considered to be of equivalent risk to a previous myocardial infarction in non-diabetic individuals. Most type 2 diabetic patients have the insulin resistance syndrome, and accelerated atheromatous disease at the time of diagnosis. The current guidelines on lipid management fail to recognise the unique dyslipidaemia of diabetes, and tend to undertreat the disease. There is a powerful case for all type 2 diabetic patients to receive treatment with a statin at the time of diagnosis.