Diabetic Heart Disease

If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes you have an increased risk for heart disease. Diabetic heart disease can be coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure, and diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Diabetes by itself puts you at risk for heart disease. Other risk factors include

• Family history of heart disease
• Carrying extra weight around the waist
• Abnormal cholesterol levels
• High blood pressure
• Smoking

Some people who have diabetic heart disease have no signs or symptoms of heart disease. Others have some or all of the symptoms of heart disease.

Treatments include medications to treat heart damage or to lower your blood glucose (blood sugar), blood pressure, and cholesterol. If you are not already taking a low dose of aspirin every day, your doctor may suggest it. You also may need surgery or some other medical procedure. Lifestyle changes also help. These include a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, and quitting smoking. (NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

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