Newer targets and therapies for hypertension and dyslipidemia in diabetic patients

Statins are the only lipid-lowering drugs that have been shown to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. This review article will discuss the studies demonstrating the efficacy of statins in reducing cardiovascular events and mortality in adults with diabetes mellitus and the current guidelines supporting this use of statins. Current guidelines support lowering of the systolic blood pressure in diabetic patients with hypertension to less than 140 mmHg. This article will discuss the studies supporting this optimal systolic blood pressure goal. The selection of antihypertensive drug therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus depends on associated medical conditions. The American Diabetes Society 2013 guidelines recommend that the drug regimen should include an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker unless the patient is pregnant.