Improving the pharmacological regimen for patients with diabetes mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus affects nearly 17 million people in the United States, and prevalence rates are expected to double within 2 decades. Although there has been a downward trend in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in recent years, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death among patients with diabetes. This observation had led many to reevaluate current treatment goals and pharmacologic regimens for at-risk patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This review focuses on the current adjunctive pharmacologic treatment regimen that is well-suited for these patients.