Among people with diabetes, about two-thirds of deaths are due to cardiovascular disease. Approximately 40% are due to ischemic heart disease, about 15% are due to other heart disease, principally congestive heart failure, and about 10% are due to stroke. These data suggest that therapies to treat diabetes should be evaluated at least in part by their effects on cardiovascular disease.
Reference:
Geiss LS, Herman H, Smith PJ. Mortality in non-insulin-dependent diabetes. In: National Diabetes Data Group. Diabetes in America. 2nd ed. Bethesda, Md: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 1995:233-257.