Cardiology Letters 2011, 20(3):221-225

Acetylsalicylic acid. Where is its real place in the therapy of patients with diabetes mellitus?

Dukát A¹, Kriška M², Šimko F³, Rajec J¹

¹ II. interná klinika LFUK a UN Bratislava

² Ústav farmakológie LFUK

³ Ústav patologickej fyziológie LFUK v Bratislave, Slovenská republika

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterised by the presence of macrovascular and microvascular complications which are already present in the early stages of manifest disease. Clinically they lead to enhanced atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis (i.e. coronary heart disease, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease). Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have a 2 - 4 times greater risk of coronary artery disease and, with this disease but without myocardial infarction, have the same risk of repeated myocardial infarction, but without diabetes mellitus. The abnormal metabolic status that accompanies diabetes mellitus leads to abnormalities in endothelial and thrombocyte function. Changes in signalling pathways at cellular level and in the clinical status lead to higher incidence of cardiovascular events. The impact of pharmacotherapeutic prevention is often discussed and this question of the standard therapy of acetylsalicylic acid is presented in this paper.

Keywords: cardiovascular diseases; diabetes mellitus; acetylsalicylic acid

Published: March 1, 2011  Show citation