HYPERLIPIDEMIA AMONG SAUDI DIABETIC-PATIENTS PATTERN AND CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Premature development of atherosclerosis and increased rate of coronar y artery and peripheral vascular diseases are characteristic features of patients with diabetes mellitus. Hyperlipidemia is an important pre cipitating factor for these diseases. Several patterns of lipid altera tion among diabetics were described; the most common is hypertriglycer idemia. This study was constructed to look at the pattern of lipid alt eration among Saudi diabetic patients. Forty-three percent of diabetic patients were dyslipidemic with an equal distribution of dyslipidemic patients with respect to type of dyslipidemia, i.e., combined hyperli pidemia, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. There was a hi gher percentage of affected female patients with dyslipidemia compared with male patients. This predominance continued when risk factors suc h as obesity, poor glycemic control, duration and therapy of diabetes mellitus were considered. There is lack of awareness and treatment of dyslipidemic diabetic patients among practicing physicians in spite of the propagated knowledge on the decreased rate of coronary events and regression of atheroma in the vascular walls of the coronary arteries upon treatment of hypercholesterolemia. There is a need to periodical ly screen the diabetic population and implement vigorous therapy for d yslipidemic ones.