Risk factor reduction in type 2 diabetes demands a multifactorial approach

Abstract

Dysglycaemia (i.e. type 2 diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance) is not only common in patients with cardiovascular disease but increases the risk for future cardiovascular complications. Hyperglycaemia, the hallmark of diabetes, has since long been considered to be the link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Diabetes is, however, a complex, multifactorial disorder to which, for example, insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction and factors such as increased thrombogenicity, hypertension and dyslipidaemia contribute. Thus, treatment needs to be multifactorial and to take cardiovascular aspects into account. Life-style adjustments are, together with blood pressure, lipid and glucose control, important parts of such management. Recent trial data reveal a beneficial effect on cardiovascular prognosis and mortality of blood glucose lowering agents belonging to the classes: sodium-glucose-transporter 2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists. The precise mechanisms by which certain sodium-glucose-transporter 2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists lead to these beneficial effects are only partly understood. An important impact of the benefits of sodium-glucose-transporter 2 inhibitors is a reduction in heart failure while glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists may retard the development of atherosclerotic vascular disease or stabilising plaques. Although there has been a considerable improvement in the prognosis for people with atherosclerotic diseases over the last decades there is still a gap between those with dysglycaemia, who are at higher risk, than those without dysglycaemia. This residual risk is reasonably related to two major factors: a demand for improved management and a need for new and improved therapeutic opportunities of type 2 diabetes, both routes to an improved prognosis that are at hands. This review is a comprehensive description of the possibilities to improve the prognosis for patients with dysglycaemia by a multifactorial management according to the most recent European guidelines issued in 2019 by the European Society of Cardiology in collaboration with the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.