[Coronary heart disease in patients with diabetes mellitus].

Diabetes mellitus is a well-recognized risk-factor for coronary artery disease. It is known that diabetic patients have a two-to fourfold increased risk of mortality or morbidity for cardiovascular diseases compared with the general population. Further, many diabetic patients with coronary heart disease have severe diseased coronary arteries: multi-vessel disease and/or severe stenosed vessel(s). In Japan, the prevalence of diabetic patients is rapidly increasing in these days. This article will review the evaluation for risk of coronary heart disease by measuring glucose level, the prognosis of diabetic patients, and the prevention of cardiovascular event in the patients with diabetes mellitus.