الفهرس 
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Abstract
Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that is growing rapidly in prevalence and that now affects >10% of adults in developed countries. (1)
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major cardiovascular (CV) risk factor and, as such, is considered a coronary artery disease risk equivalent. (2)
People with type 2 diabetes have a two to three time higher incidence of ischaemic heart disease than people without diabetes, even when other risk factors are taken into account. Reasons for this difference are unclear. (3)
Diabetes is defined by its association with hyperglycemia specific microvascular complications; however, it also imparts a two- to fourfold risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although microvascular complications can lead to significant morbidity and premature mortality, by far the greatest cause of death in people with diabetes is CVD. (4)
Despite risk-reduction strategies that include lowering of cholesterol and BP, and smoking cessation, the majority of those with diabetes continue to die from cardiovascular causes. (1)