This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
CVD, CHD event risk may lower with BP, LDL, HbA1c control in diabetes
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Adults with diabetes do not commonly have optimal measurements for blood pressure, LDL and HbA1c; however, optimal values would lower the risk for coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease, study data show.
Nathan D. Wong, PhD, MPH, professor of medicine at the University of California, Irvine, and colleagues evaluated data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and the Jackson Heart Study on 2,018 adults aged 28 to 86 years with diabetes but without known CVD. Researchers sought to determine whether being at targets for BP, HbA1c and LDL cholesterol together are linked to lower risks for CVD events.
Of the participants, 41.8% were at target levels for BP, 32.1% for LDL and 41.9% for HbA1c; 7% of participants were at target levels for all three.
The risk for CVD and CHD events was 17% lower for participants with BP at target levels. Participants at LDL target levels had a 33% lower risk for CVD events and 41% lower risk for CHD events. There was a 37% lower risk for CVD events and 36% lower risk for CHD events among participants with HbA1c at target levels.
Risks were reduced by 36% for CVD events with one risk factor controlled, 52% with two controlled and 62% with three controlled. Risks were reduced by 41% for CHD with one risk factor controlled, 56% with two controlled and 60% with three controlled.
“These findings emphasize the importance of composite control of these modifiable risk factors to better address the residual CVD risk seen in persons with [diabetes], the need for the development of health care strategies to better ensure such management, and the need for studies to evaluate and eliminate barriers to risk factor control in persons with [diabetes],” the researchers wrote. – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: Wong reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts