Diabetic Dyslipidaemia

Obesity, the metabolic syndrome and diabetes are commonly associated with disorders of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. These disorders are commonly referred to as metabolic or diabetic dyslipidaemia consisting primarily of hypertriglyceridaemia, increased small dense low-density lipoprotein particles and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The key mechanisms underlying diabetic dyslipidaemia appear to be hepatic very-low-density lipoprotein overproduction in the fasting state and intestinal chylomicron production in the postprandial state, leading to both fasting and postprandial dyslipidaemia. The current chapter reviews the key features of diabetic dyslipidaemia and the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the development of this increasingly common form of dyslipidaemia in metabolic disease.