Hormonal
Women with type 2 diabetes have significantly higher cardiovascular risk factor levels (specifically LDL-c and total cholesterol) and lower achievement of treatment targets compared to men, despite receiving equal or higher rates of pharmacological intervention (statins).
If you are a woman with Type 2 Diabetes, your cardiovascular risk profile (specifically cholesterol) is biologically higher than men's, even if you take the same medications. Do not assume that being prescribed a statin means your LDL is at target. You likely need more aggressive monitoring and potentially higher doses or additional therapies to reach the same LDL targets as men. Ask your doctor specifically about your LDL levels, not just whether you are on medication.
T2DM women without previous CVD showed higher levels of total cholesterol (12.13 mg/dL (0.31 mmol/L); 95% CI = 11.9–12.4) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c; 5.50 mg/dL (0.14 mmol/L); 95% CI = 5.3–5.7) than men. The recommended LDL-c target was less frequently achieved by women as it was the simultaneous control of different CVRF.
Why this rating
Large-scale, propensity score-matched cross-sectional study (n=140,906 primary prevention) reduces confounding, though it is observational.
Source
Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Prevention in Type 2: Diabetes in a Real-World Practice Database
Anna Ramírez‐Morros et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2022
DOI 10.3390/jcm11082196
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