Dysfunctional HDL and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Individuals with Diabetic Dyslipidemia

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals with diabetes mellitus despite advances in the prevention and management of CVD. A number of studies have shown that the prospective risk of adverse cardiovascular events in diabetic individuals without previous myocardial infarctionis comparable to non-diabetic individuals with myocardial infarction, with comparatively worse clinical outcomes for diabetic individuals following an adverse cardiovascular event [1-4]. Furthermore, population studies indicate that diabetes amplifies the effects of other common CVD risk factors, including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking [5,6]. Consequently, diabetes has been considered in some prevention guidelines as a coronary artery disease-risk equivalent [7,8].