The vulnerable blood

SummaryPatients with diabetes are at increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. While arteriosclerotic lesions have long been recognized as the underlying cause more recent studies suggest that alterations of the blood are also critically involved. Following plaque rupture, adherence of platelets is followed by the formation of a cross-linked fibrin clot. Patients with diabetes exhibit a prothrombotic milieu consisting of hyper reactive platelets, a tight and rigid clot structure which is due to up-regulation of coagulation factors and prolongation of clot lysis. Metabolic alterations as well as i…