Fig. 1.

- Chronic diabetic complications are a manifestation of endothelial and microvascular dysfunction Abbreviations: CAD = coronary artery disease, CVD = cerebrovascular disease.

Hyperglycaemia contributes to the development of endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction disrupts vascular homeostasis and is closely associated with the development of microvascular and macrovascular disease; including diabetic nephropathy (persistent albuminuria and decreased glomerular filtration rate), retinopathy and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Therefore, microvascular damage in one end organ is indicative of systemic microvascular damage.