The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) issued a scientific statement updating recommendations for cardiovascular disease prevention in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recommendations include:

• Lifestyle modification, including increased physical activity through increased daily physical activity and aerobic exercise

• Nutrition education – DASH, Mediterranean, low-fat, or monitored carbohydrate diets

• Control of Obesity – Caloric restriction and behavioral counseling to comply with dietary recommendations. Pharmacologic and surgical approaches may be considered for patients who do not respond to lifestyle interventions.

• Glucose Control – A1c <7.0% for most patients, with goal individualized based on patients duration of diabetes and comorbidities.

• Avoidance of hypoglycemia

• Aspirin – Low-dose aspirin (75-162 mg daily) is “reasonable” if 10-year risk of coronary disease is greater than 5%, with the evidence being stronger for risk >10%.

• Blood Pressure – Goal < 140/90

• Cholesterol - Patients aged 40 to 75 years with LDL between 70 and 189 mg/dL should be treated with a moderate-intensity statin, and a high-intensity statin should be used if estimated 10-year risk of coronary disease is > 7.5%.

Citation: Fox CS, Golden SH, Anderson C, et al. Update on prevention of cardiovascular disease in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in light of recent evidence. Circulation. [Published online ahead of print August 5, 2015]. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000230.