Cardiovascular clinic

Diabetes is associated with a 2 to 4 fold increase in cardiovascular (CV) disease. Future risk of CV disease in the diabetic patient without CV disease has been shown to be equivalent to that of the non-diabetic population with established CVD (in other words, diabetes CV risks = secondary prevention risks).

Much can be done to ameliorate CV disease through aggressive treatment of CV risk factors. NSF and NICE guidelines have heightened this aggressive approach which primary care have targeted and adopted with enthusiasm.

Inevitably there are a group of diabetes patients who remain resistant to or cannot tolerate conventional treatment for dyslipidaemia (hypercholesterolaemia with statins), hypertriglyceridaemia (> 3 mmol/l), low HDL cholesterol (less than 0.8 mmol/l), hypertension or other CV risk factors such as microalbuminuria.

The Diabetes Cardiovascular  Clinic (led by Prof Mike Cummings) is aimed at reviewing and  managing this group of diabetes patients. In addition, we are also happy to see patients with established CV disease who may need guidance on medical therapy that may not appear to need interventional treatment.

The Diabetes Cardiovascular  Clinic is held on a weekly basis (Wednesday 9am - 12.30pm) at the Diabetes Centre, Queen Alexandra Hospital.