Recognition and management of cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Patients with type 2 diabetes face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared with the general population. The UKPDS identified a number of potentially modifiable risk factors including hypertension, increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hyperglycaemia and smoking. Recognising and managing these risk factors presents a challenge for clinical practice, particularly if we aim to also identify at-risk individuals. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is escalating, largely due to an ageing population and the rapidly increasing incidence of obesity, which in itself has become a recognised risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The challenge for healthcare professionals in the management of type 2 diabetes is a complex one, at the heart of which is the need for patient education and support to promote sustainable lifestyle changes. In addition to recognising classical risk factors, evidence from clinical practice highlights the impact of non-classical risk factors (such as non-compliance to medication) and the subsequent consequences they have on resource and patient outcomes, thereby reinforcing the necessity for an integrated approach to the management of type 2