How Are Diabetes and Heart Health Connected?
Posted on October 30, 2024
A person with diabetes is twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared to someone who doesn’t have diabetes. That’s because high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and nerves around your heart. People with diabetes are more likely to have:
- High LDL. The “bad” cholesterol that causes plaque to build up in arteries.
- High blood pressure. Having both diabetes and high blood pressure dramatically increases heart disease risk.
- High triglycerides and low HDL (“good” cholesterol). A type of fat that builds up and stiffens arteries.
There are things you can do to help prevent diabetes and heart disease, starting with the diabetes ABCs:
A. Get your A1C tested regularly to track your average blood sugar over time.
B. Watch your blood pressure and keep it in the zone your health care provider recommends.
C. Stay on top of your cholesterol levels. Keep them down with lifestyle changes and medication your provider may prescribe.
S. Don’t smoke. If you smoke, find a smoking cessation program and stick to it.
In addition, your doctor can help determine what tests to schedule to evaluate your heart’s current health and heart disease risk.
Sources: American Diabetes Association; American Heart Association; Cardiovascular Research Foundation; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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