A 56 year old male with a history of obesity and poorly controlled diabetes mellitus presents for a routine clinic visit. He has no physical complaints. His lipid profile is below:
Total cholesterol 202 mg/dL
LDL 96 mg/dL
HDL 26 mg/dL
Triglycerides 452 mg/dL
Which of the following is the most appropriate therapeutic option at this time?
A. Start an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor
B. Start gemfibrozil
C. Start niacin
D. Strict diabetic control