Lipid lowering drugs in diabetes: Absolute risk reduction is what counts

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7552.1272-a

BMJ 2006;332:1272 (27 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7552.1272-a

Letter

Lipid lowering drugs in diabetes

Absolute risk reduction is what counts

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Costa et al draw the principal conclusion thatdiabetic patients benefit more, in both primary and secondaryprevention.¹ But it is abundantly clear from their own analysisthat the relative risk reduction was similar across all categoriesof patient

The numbers needed to treat remain as expected, reflecting,as they must, the absolute baseline risk and the 22% risk reductionacross the board. Costa adds nothing new in recognising that,all other things being equal, diabetic patients have a higherabsolute coronary risk. So what does this study add? There areno new important clinical implications, for primary preventionin patients with type 2 diabetes. It confirms that we shouldnot change our guidelines.

Patients will benefit from lipid lowering in accordance withtheir absolute cardiovascular risk. We should continue to targettreatment according to best available predictions of absolutecardiovascular risk. Progress will come from improving the . . . [Full text of this article]

L S Lewis, general practitioner

Surgery, Newport, Pembrokeshire SA42 0TJ sam@garthnewydd.freeserve.co.uk

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