A disturbed glucose metabolic state (dysglycaemia) is a key risk factor for cardiovascular events

Diabetes is a well-established, independent risk factor for future cardiovascular events. A growing literature is now showing that cardiovascular risk is not restricted to glucose levels above the thresholds that differentiate diabetes from nondiabetes. Rather, the relationship between glucose and cardiovascular events extends from normal glucose levels right into the diabetic range. Indeed, cardiovascular risk is predicted by the degree of glucose elevation and not by the presence or absence of diabetes per se. Whether or not strategies that lower glucose will reduce the risk of cardiovascular events is now being tested in several large international clinical trials.