Diagnostic and prognostic testing to evaluate coronary artery disease in patients with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Coronary artery disease (CAD) continues to be the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). In recent years, the strategies for treatment of CAD in DM have undergone much evolution. Currently, all patients with DM, regardless of symptoms or diagnosed CAD, are treated aggressively for CAD risk factor reduction. In this clinical climate, the ability to specifically identify patients with disease that will benefit from more aggressive and invasive therapies remains a challenge. In this article we review the current literature on diagnostic and prognostic utility of conventional non-invasive modalities for assessment of CAD in patients with DM, as well as on novel and emerging methods for CAD risk stratification.