ABSTRACT
Introduction Diabetes is extremely prevalent within the United States, with more than 16 million confirmed cases and an additional 20 million cases of glucose intolerance. As the incidence of diabetes in this country is thought to be on the rise (1), coronary artery disease (CAD) in this group, which is the principal cause of death in this population, is expected to rise concomitantly (2). Clearly reflecting these trends, in over a 20-year period, the mortality rate in the United States from diabetes has risen more than 30% (3).
