Prevalence of coronary heart disease in Pakistani patients suffering from maturity onset diabetes mellitus.

In a group of 500 ambulant Pakistani patients suffering from diabetes mellitus, electrocardiographic evidence of coronary heart disease was present in 45 (9%). The frequency was higher in the males (12.1%) as compared to females (7.2%). The male diabetics with coronary heart disease had significantly high mean serum cholesterol values as compared to those without it. A positive family history of ischaemic heart disease, and the presence of small vessel disease as well as hypertension were more frequently associated with coronary heart disease. The overall frequency of hypertension was 21.2 per cent in this group of diabetics.