Patients with diabetes mellitus--secodary prophylaxis after myocardial infarction

The mortality rate after myocardial infarction is more than twice as large in diabetic patients than in patients without diabetes. Optimal blood sugar control in the acute phase and during follow-up might improve prognosis. The relative reduction in mortality and cardiac events after myocardial infarction by means of betablockers, ACE inhibitors and statins is the same for diabetics as for non-diabetes. However, because of the poorer prognosis, the absolute reduction in mortality is more than twice as high in diabetic as in non-diabetic patients. For this reason, diabetic patients comprise a target group for secondary prevention by means of betablockers, ACE inhibitors and statins after myocardial infarction.