APOE and diabetes mellitus: These mice display a significantly elevated blood cholesterol level which can be further increased under a western diet.[49] Most patients subjected to revascularization techniques such as angioplasty or bypass grafting suffer from elevated cholesterol levels, diabetes and an elevated blood pressure.[33] ApoE knockout mice developed atherosclerotic lesions at the carotid artery bifurcation in the transiently ligated as well as in the contralateral control arteries.