Diabetic Dyslipidemia: Epidemiology and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Implications of Newer Therapies.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Dyslipidemia in patients with T2DM confers significant additional risk of adverse outcomes to patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). These patients carry residual risk of adverse outcomes despite optimal management with conventional therapy such as lifestyle changes and statin therapy. The role of both nonstatin monotherapy in statin-intolerant patients and combination therapy with statins in patients with high risk of CVD events has been well studied. We sought to review the role of newer therapies in risk reduction in these patients.

RECENT FINDINGS: Traditionally, non-statin options have included medications such as niacin, ezetimibe, fenofibrate, and n-3 fatty acids. Recently, drugs such as ezetimibe, inclisiran, and PCSK9 inhibitors have been studied with favorable results without an increased risk of developing new-onset diabetes. These medications hold the promise of increasing options to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with T2DM. The role of newer non-statin therapies in patients with diabetic dyslipidemia in combination with statins needs to be further explored.