Teaching an Old Drug New Tricks: Can Paroxetine Ease the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes?

摘要

Diabetes doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) independently of other risk factors (1). A 50-year-old with diabetes is likely to die, on average, 6 years earlier than a counterpart without diabetes, with vascular deaths being the major contributor to reduced survival (2). In keeping with the predicted rise in diabetes prevalence, the proportion of CVD deaths attributable to diabetes (currently 10% in developed countries [2]) is likely to increase substantially. Although intensive research efforts have identified the molecular mechanisms contributing to diabetes-related CVD, these discoveries have not been mirrored by major pharmaceutical advances. As a blockbuster drug to reduce CVD in diabetes has failed to emerge, other approaches need to be considered as a matter of urgency.