Diabetes increases coronary heart disease mortality with and without a prior myocardial infarction (MI)

In a seven-year follow-up of 1059 subjects with type 2 diabetes and 1378 patients without diabetes, persons with diabetes, with or without a prior myocardial infarction (MI), had a greater mortality from coronary disease compared to those without diabetes (42 versus 16 percent for those with a prior MI and 15 versus 2 percent for those without a prior MI). The rate of coronary death and fatal and nonfatal MI in persons with diabetes without a prior MI was the same as in those without diabetes with a prior MI, providing part of the rationale for considering type 2 diabetes a coronary heart disease equivalent.