Insulin-resistant diabetes is becoming more prevalent among the general U.S. population. Approximately 20 million people had diabetes in 2005, of which one third of the population had impaired fasting
glucose. The prevalence rate is 9%, a more alarming rate in the 20- to 39-year age group, which suggests a significant degree of how even the young are affected. We review how the prediabetic stage (
impaired glucose tolerance-impaired fasting
glucose and
impaired glucose tolerance-
impaired glucose tolerance) plays a vital role as a risk factor for
cardiovascular disease, and the effectiveness of lifestyle modifications with
drug therapy reduces the cardiovascular risk of early diabetes and its complications. A lifestyle modification like effective
weight loss and exercise, with or without
antidiabetic drugs, prevents the proatherogenic effects of diabetes. Controlled, randomized studies have shown that progression to diabetes among those with
prediabetes is not inevitable; people with
prediabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes and could even return their
blood glucose levels to normal. Although prevention of
prediabetes is a huge challenge, a tight
glycemic control with lifestyle modifications and
antihyperglycemics like
thiazolidinediones play a vital role in increasing the
insulin sensitivity of tissues and decreasing the cardiovascular risk factor of diabetes.