Does statin monotherapy address the multiple lipid abnormalities in type 2 diabetes?

Lipid abnormalities, which are common in type 2 diabetes, predispose to a greatly increased risk of coronary heart disease. This characteristic dyslipidaemia includes decreased concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), elevated triglycerides, and a small, dense, atherogenic form of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Insulin resistance and obesity, which is commonly present in type 2 diabetes, act in concert to disrupt normal lipoprotein metabolism; reverse cholesterol transport in particular. The proatherogenic changes, which result from this process include enrichment of very-low-density lipoprotein with cholesteryl esters and enrichment of LDL with triglycerides. Results from both the Pravastatin Pooling Project and the Heart Protection Study demonstrate that, although people with diabetes obtain the same relative risk reduction with statin therapy, the absolute benefit derived is much lower than for comparable individuals without diabetes. In order to achieve improved outcomes in diabetes patients, it will be important to address other abnormalities in their lipid profiles, including elevated triglycerides and low HDL-C.