Cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The epidemic of childhood obesity worldwide has led to increased incidence of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in the pediatric and adolescent population. As such, there is increasing concern that this large population of children is at risk for the long-term complications of diabetes, specifically cardiovascular disease. With cardiovascular disease remaining the leading cause of death in adults, this presents a significant public health concern as these children age. In this article, we discuss cardiovascular disease and risk in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes, including the epidemiology of type 2 diabetes, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypertension, and left ventricular function.