Features in Angiographic Evaluation of the Diabetic Patient

Abstract

Currently it is estimated that there are over 382 million patients with diabetes worldwide and their number is increasing, which makes this metabolic disorder the most common non-contagious disease, particularly related to obesity and physical inactivity. There is a close relationship between diabetes and cardiovascular disease, statistics showing that over 50% of deaths in patients with diabetes are produced by cardiovascular complications. This requires a close collaboration between diabetologists and cardiologists. The mortality caused by atherosclerotic complications is 65-80% for diabetic patients compared to 33% in non-diabetic patients. Moreover, 20% of the patients requiring coronary revascularization procedures are diabetics and over 30% of patients with angiographic exploration have diabetes. Among the patients with diabetes the coronary lesions are present in 50% of cases and the peripheral arteries lesions in 30% of cases.