“…[1][2][3] There are many mediators of this amplification of atherosclerosis including the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, abnormalities of extracellular matrix turnover, endothelial damage/dysfunction, vascular inflammation, insulin resistance, platelet activation and changes in the coagulation cascade leading to a pro-thrombotic state. [4][5][6] It is accepted that aggressive blood pressure reduction in patients with diabetes and hypertension has important benefits on a range of surrogate clinical end points [7][8][9] and confers protection against both macro-and microvascular diseases.…”