Page 22 - 51 the significance--29.2_opt
P. 22
The physical narrowing of the arteries and the potential for the athero-
sclerotic lesion to rupture and completely occlude a blood vessel sig-
nificantly increases the risk of CV events. In people with diabetes, the
risk of myocardial infarction is comparable to the risk in non-diabetic
patients with a history of previous MI. T2DM increases the risk of stroke
82
by 150–400% and the risk of death from CV causes by two to six-fold. 83
Indeed, more than 70% of patients with T2DM die of CV causes. Need-
84
less to say, the societal and economic burden of macrovascular com-
plications in the context of overall healthcare costs attributable to
T2DM is huge. Data suggest that CV disease accounts for the largest
proportion of all diabetes-related healthcare expenditure. 85 86
Figure 11. The progression of atherosclerosis – the underlying cause of macrovascular
complications (after Stary, et al. 1995). 87
22
