Treating Arterial Stiffness in Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Arterial stiffening characterizes ageing and several diseases related to increased cardiovascular (CV) risk such as the metabolic syndrome (MetS), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension, obesity and smoking. Several studies have shown that arterial stiffness is a strong, independent predictor of CV morbidity and mortality risk in such patient populations. Lifestyle measures and drugs frequently prescribed in MetS and T2DM patients such as hypolipidaemic, antihypertensive, hypoglycaemic and antiplatelet agents, may improve arterial stiffness, thus further reducing vascular risk. The current review considers the effects of these drugs and lifestyle changes on arterial stiffness in MetS and T2DM patients. The potential clinical implications of such effects on treatment decisions in clinical practice remain to be established. Multifactorial interventions may be even more beneficial in terms of CV risk reduction and thus their impact on arterial stiffness should also be evaluated.