The Evaluation of Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Abstract AIM The aim of the study was to evaluate cardiovascular risk in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 according to gender. METHODS The monitoring was designed as a retrospective analysis of data obtained from the documentation of the diabetic outpatients treated with the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4is) or sodium–glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2). Cardiovascular risk was assessed according to UKPDS risk engine. RESULTS The levels of HbA1c decreased throughout the whole study. Sixty per cent of patients achieved an HbA1c level <8% after 18 months. Both men and women had similar glycaemic compensation. Men had a significantly higher risk of fatal coronary heart disease (CHD) (p < 0.001), stroke (p < 0.01) and fatal stroke (p < 0.01) compared to women. We found the risk of fatal CHD to be 38-fold higher in men compared to women (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Potential cardiovascular effects of antidiabetic treatment should be clearly defined with possible different effects according to gender. We found a much higher risk in men than women, even when their glycaemic compensation was comparable.