"WHAT A new study shows that the drug fenofibrate might reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type  diabetes who have high levels of triglycerides and low levels of good cholesterol despite being treated with statins. The study funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute NHLBI appears in the December  issue of JAMA Cardiology. Fenofibrate is primarily used to help reduce elevated levels of triglycerides or fat in the blood. But the researchers wanted to know if the drug when combined with statin treatment could also reduce the risk of heart disease in people with type  diabetes. People with type  diabetes are at high risk of cardiovascularrelated events such as heart attacks stroke and even death often because their levels of triglycerides are so high and their highdensity lipoprotein HDL cholesterol levels are low. To answer their question the researchers followed  participants from the NHLBIfunded Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes ACCORD Lipid Study for five years after the conclusion of the trial in . The findings suggest that fenofibrate therapy may be beneficial in the way the researchers hoped by reducing cardiovascular events in patients with type  diabetes who take statins but still have especially high triglycerides levels and low HDL cholesterol levels. However a randomized study is needed to confirm these findings according to the authors.  In addition to NHBLI the study received funding from the NIHs National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease the National Institute of Aging and the National Eye Institute. WHO Jerome Fleg MD and Yves Rosenberg MD M.P.H. Division of Cardiovascular Sciences NHLBI NIH are available to comment on the findings and implications of this research. ARTICLE M Elam et al. Effect of Fenofibrate Therapy on LongTerm Cardiovascular Risk in StatinTreated Patients with Type II Diabetes. JAMA Cardiology. DOI .jamacardio.. CONTACT For more information or to schedule an interview please contact the NHLBI Office of Science Policy Engagement Education and Communications at  or nhlbi_newsnhlbi.nih.gov mailtonhlbi_newsnhlbi.nih.gov link sends email  Part of the National Institutes of Health the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute NHLBI plans conducts and supports research related to the causes prevention diagnosis and treatment of heart blood vessel lung and blood diseases and sleep disorders. The Institute also administers national health education campaigns on women and heart disease healthy weight for children and other topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available online at http About the National Institutes of Health NIH NIH the nations medical research agency includes  Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic clinical and translational medical research and is investigating the causes treatments and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs visit http NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health"