Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, abnormal lipoprotein metabolism, and atherosclerosis

Although diabetes mellitus is, by definition, a state of abnormal carbohydrate metabolism, defects in lipoprotein metabolism are a prominent feature of the diabetic syndrome. This is particularly true of patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and it is quite likely that the abnormal lipid metabolism contributes significantly to the increased morbidity and mortality from macrovascular diseases that characterize NIDDM. In this presentation, an attempt will be made to develop a coherent picture as to the pathogenesis of the defects in lipoprotein metabolism seen in patients with NIDDM, as well as to discuss some new information as to possible links between abnormal lipoprotein metabolism and the development of coronary artery disease (CAD).