Treatment of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension in diabetics with coronary artery disease

Diabetes mellitus, a high serum total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol, and hypertension are risk factors for new coronary events. Statins reduce cardiovascular events in diabetics with coronary artery disease. Other lipid-lowering drugs have not been shown to reduce cardiovascular events in diabetics with coronary artery disease. Diabetics with hypercholesterolemia and hypertension should be treated with statins. Reducing the serum LDL cholesterol to less than 70 mg/di and the non-HDL cholesterol to less than 100 mg/di is reasonable. The blood pressure in these patients should be reduced to less than 140/90 mmHg in patients younger than 80 years and the systolic blood pressure reduced to 140-145 mmHg if tolerated in patients aged 80 years of age and older.