Coronary atherosclerosis of the diabetic.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the main risk factors of coronary atheroscleros is. The relative risk of cardiovascular disease is 2 to 4 times higher in t ype II diabetes than in the general population. The number of cases, especi ally type Il,is increasing, especially as the definition of diabetes has be en changed recently by the specialist scirntific societies (American Diabet ic Association, World Health organisation and ALFEDIAM) to include all pati ents with fasting glucose levels greater than or equal to 7 mmol/L on two o ccasions. Therefore, in the next 25 years, the number of diabetic patients will proba bly double, not only because of this new definition but also because of the combined effects of an ageing population, dictary changes (with an increas e in obesity) and a progressively more sedentary and urbanised life-style i n the so-called greater than or equal to emerging countries.