Blood glucose concentrations <= 125 mg/dl and coronary heart disease risk

T his study sought to determine the relation between fasting glucose levels, coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, and the prevalence of CHD in a high-risk group of patients attending a cardiology prevention clinic. The study was designed to address 2 questions. (1) Are increasing fasting glucose concentrations in the nondiabetic range (less than or equal to125 mg/dl) associated with an increased burden of traditional (smoking, central obesity, systemic hypertension, dyslipidemia) and nontraditional (e.g., fibrinogen, homocysteine, lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]) CHD risk factors? (2) Are increasing blood glucose concentrations in this range associated with a continuous and graded risk for CHD independent of these risk factors?.