Prevalence and pattern of dyslipidaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at a tertiary care hospital

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common secondary cause of dyslipidaemia, particularly if glycaemic control is poor, which in turn is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.Objectives: (1) To study the prevalence and pattern of dyslipidaemia in patients with type 2 DM. (2) To determine the relationship (if any) between HbA1C and the lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study done in 200 type 2 diabetic patients attending the Diabetic Clinic at the Helen Joseph Hospital. Patients suffering from other known causes of secondary dyslipidaemia were excluded. Each patient's HbA1C and lipid profile results were recorded from their clinic files. The lipid profile included total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and calculated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Patients with one or more of the above parameters outside the targets recommended by the 2012 South African Dyslipidaemia Guidelines were considered to have uncontrolled dyslipidaemia.Results: Of the 200 type 2 DM patients studied, 86 (43%) were male and 114 (57%) female. Despite all patients being treated with lipid-lowering therapy (simvastatin at a mean daily dose of 20 mg), 187 patients (93.5%) did not achieve all their lipid targets. The most prevalent lipid parameter not at target was an LDL-C of ≥ 1.8 mmol/l in nearly 80% of patients. The most common pattern of dyslipidaemia was a combined dyslipidaemia(any two abnormal lipid parameters) affecting a total of 82 out of the 187 patients (43.8%) not reaching recommended targets. No significant relationship was found between HbA1C and any of the lipid parameters. Conclusion: The vast majority of the type 2 diabetic patients studied had dyslipidaemia not meeting recommended targets, despite the use of lipid-lowering therapy in all patients. There is a need for more intensive lipid-lowering therapy, particularly statin therapy in patients with dyslipidaemia. Measures aimed at combating obesity and other lifestyle-related risk factors are also vital and need to be implemented for effectively controlling dyslipidaemia and reducing the burden of CVD

Hypercholesterolaemia in Children and Young Adults - Current Management

Atherosclerosis begins in childhood. Not uncommonly; the first presentation of atherosclerosis is sudden cardiac death. It therefore makes sense that risk-factor modification to prevent the development or delay the onset of atherosclerosis needs to begin early in life. Dietary intervention is the key component for the primary prevention of hyperlipidae- mia. However; if diet and lifestyle fail to correct hyperlipidaemia; drug therapy may have to be considered. All children and adolescents with high-risk lipid disorders such as familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH); those with diabetes mellitus or other cardiovascular disease risk factors or with a family history of premature coronary artery disease should be considered for lipid-lowering therapy if diet and lifestyle intervention are ineffective. There are now numerous studies that have documented the safety and efficacy of statin therapy in both children and young adults. Based on these studies; it is now recommended that statin therapy be initiated in all male FH children from the age of ten years and at the onset of menses in females with FH. The initiation of statin therapy could be considered even earlier in FH children at high risk

Sub-Optimal Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus - A Local Audit

Background: Despite increased awareness of risk factors for coronary artery disease and randomized trial data supporting comprehensive diabetic care; these risk factors continue to be largely ignored in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Objective: Cross-sectional study to determine the level of control in patients with type 2 diabetes in tertiary diabetes clinics. Methods: Patient demographic; diabetes and cardiovascular disease related (CVD) data was collected from 150 (F:M; 98:52) randomly selected patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending the diabetes clinics at the three academic teaching hospitals served by the University of the Witwatersrand. Blood pressure; height; weight; body mass index and waist circumference were measured. Glycated haemoglobin and fasting serum lipid levels were obtained from patient records. Black patients contributed 68; White 12; 7; Indian 10; 7and Coloured 8; 7. Results: Mean HbA1c for the whole cohort was 8; 7. Obesity was present in 37; 3; hypercholesterolaemia in 29; 3and hypertriglyceridaemia in 45; 3. Waist circumference was = 80 cm in 98of the females and = 94 cm in 69of the males. 127 patients out of 150 (85) were hypertensive and 74of these had a systolic blood pressure = 130 mmHg and 84a diastolic blood pressure = 80 mmHg. 43of the patients did minimal exercise; 6smoked and only 51were on aspirin. Conclusion: Comprehensive diabetic care is still largely lacking despite clinical trial data documenting improved outcomes associated not only with glycaemic control but also with use of antihypertensive; lipid lowering and anti-platelet therapy