Diabetes and cardiovascular disease together account for the largest portion of health care spending compared to all other diseases in Western society. This work seeks to provide an understanding of the causes of diabetes and its cardiovascular complications. As this understanding becomes more widely appreciated, it may serve as a foundation for evidence-based care and wider acceptance of sound science. The International Conference on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease, held in Winnipeg, in June 1999, was organized to bring together a multi-disciplinary group of researchers dedicated to further knowledge amongst researchers, care givers, and the managers of the health system. The invited speakers submitted their works for publication, which serves as the basis for this book. Major themes include: epidemiology of diabetes mellitus, metabolic risk factors in diabetes and cardiovascular disease, hypertension in diabetes mellitus, cardiac function in diabetes, glycemic control and improved cardiovascular function, diabetes management, and endothelial function in diabetes.