Questions in diabetology to be elucidated

Abstract

Despite advances in the management of cardiovascular diseases, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is increasing both in developed and developing world. This phenomenon is associated with the worldwide pandemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes; both are related to the life style of urbanization. The association between life conduct of civilization and chronic stress resulting in augmentation of cardiovascular risk is detailed. Therapeutic policy practiced nowadays (polypill administration, achieving target values) in order to reduce cardiovascular risk is criticized. Primary causal role of chronic stress and life style, and secondary resultant nature of cardiovascular risk factors are stressed out in the pathogenesis of increased cardiovascular risk; therefore, limited value of an approach focusing on the management of cardiovascular risk factors, instead of targeting the primary cause, i.e. chronic stress and life conduct is emphasized. A short account is given about the similarities and dissimilarities in the pathogenesis of macro- and microangiopathy. The primary causal role of chronic stress in fetal and adult diabetes, furthermore possible triggers evoking chronic stress is discussed. Supportive experimental and clinical data are reported about the nature of basic metabolic dysregulation (dysmetabolism) in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Besides the well documented significance of ischemic clinical manifestations of diabetes, the role of non-ischemic diabetic cardiomyopathy as an independent risk factor in evoking the total burden of cardiovascular risk in diabetes is emphasized. In reducing the cardiovascular risk in diabetics the management of high blood pressure and dyslipidemia is more effective compared to that of hyperglycemia. Besides managing cardiovascular risk factors, the successful treatment of dysmetabolism is importantly needed to eliminate the total excessive cardiovascular risk in diabetes. In order to achieve this goal the potential role of metabolic promoters is stressed out. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 1353–1361.