Itoh H, et al. - In a primary prevention setting in Japan, researchers evaluated the benefits of intensive statin therapy in reducing cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with type 2 diabetes complicated with hyperlipidaemia and retinopathy. In this post hoc analysis, they hypothesized that intensive therapy in patients achieving their target (LDL cholesterol <1.81 mmol/L) would be superior to standard therapy (LDL cholesterol target ≥2.59 to <3.10 mmol/L) to reduce the incidence of composite CV events. Data from 1909 patients who achieved LDL cholesterol target levels were analyzed. In patients with hypercholesterolaemia and diabetic retinopathy, achieving target LDL cholesterol levels <1.81 mmol/L may reduce CV events more effectively than achieving target levels ≥2.59 to <3.10 mmol/L. When statin monotherapy was used to reduce LDL cholesterol below 1.81 mmol/L, there were no major increases in adverse events or adverse drug reactions.