Question

Lab results are back for a 54-year-old patient with a 15-year history of diabetes. Which of the following lab results follows the expected pattern accompanying macrovascular disease as a complication of diabetes?

1) Increased triglyceride levels
2) Decreased low-density lipoproteins
3) Increased high-density lipoproteins
4) Decreased very-low-density lipoproteins

Answer 1

Increased triglyceride levels are the expected pattern accompanying macrovascular disease as a complication of diabetes, contributing to atherosclerosis and increasing the risk of macrovascular complications like heart attacks or strokes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The expected pattern of lab results accompanying macrovascular disease as a complication of diabetes would be increased triglyceride levels. This is because individuals with diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, often have a cluster of conditions that include high triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, and high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, collectively known as atherogenic dyslipidemia. High triglyceride levels can contribute to atherosclerosis, which is an accumulation of cholesterol plaques in the blood vessels, leading to inflammation and restricted blood flow. This can then result in complications such as heart attacks or strokes, which are macrovascular diseases.