Pre-diabetes and cardiovascular risk: detonating the time bomb

Abstract

Pre-diabetes carries a cardiovascular risk. Beverley Bostock-Cox considers the interventions that can improve this risk in people with pre-diabetes Pre-diabetes is a state of impaired glucose regulation where the body moves from normal levels of blood glucose to a position where increasing levels of insulin resistance result in higher and harmful sugar levels in the bloodstream. As its name suggests, it is a precursor of type 2 diabetes. Cardiovascular risk is also likely to be higher, mainly because of the links between hyperglycaemia and other known cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidaemia. In people with pre-diabetes, the aim should be to treat all the modifiable risk factors through lifestyle interventions, especially by encouraging weight loss and increasing physical activity levels. Pharmacological interventions can be considered in addition to lifestyle change.