Mechanisms of diabetic dyslipidemia: relevance for atherogenesis.

Diabetic dyslipidemia is due to a multiple array of metabolic abnormalities determining a typical phenotype characterized by increased plasma triglycerides, reduced HDL and a preponderance of small, dense LDL. This dyslipidemia, defined as atherogenic dyslipidemia, is thought to be highly responsible for the increased cardiovascular risk in diabetes mellitus. Several lines of evidence indicate that the increased liver production of VLDL is the main underlying defect in atherogenic dyslipidemia.