ABSTRACT
Coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease in many countries, is closely related to diabetes mellitus, since diabetes is not only a risk factor for the disease, but is equivalent to established CAD. Due to the increasing prevalence of global obesity, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and CAD is also increasing. Quickly changing lifestyles, as developing countries begin to adopt the poor dietary choices and reduced physical exercise, is playing a major role in the occurrence of diabetes and coronary artery disease. Symptoms include angina pectoris, fatigue, shortness of breath, and arrhythmias. Plaques can tear artery walls and form blood clots, leading to a myocardial infarction. Diabetic individuals with coronary artery disease have significantly higher rates of complications and death than in non-diabetic patients. This is especially true in older individuals, especially those in the 75 to 84 age range. Accurate diagnosis of CAD may require electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, an exercise stress test, a nuclear stress test, cardiac catheterization with angiogram, and a cardiac CT scan. Aside from lifestyle improvements, a variety of medications are utilized, along with angioplasty and stent placement, as well as coronary artery bypass surgery.
