People with Diabetes Can Play a Big Role in Reducing Their Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke

(ARA) - If you have diabetes, a trip to the doctor’s office should be more than a check on your blood glucose levels. More than two-thirds of people with diabetes don’t realize that they are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. But in reality, heart disease strikes people with diabetes twice as often as people without diabetes.

Take charge of your health and work toward comprehensive diabetes care that includes managing blood glucose and other cardiovascular risk factors. By checking with your doctor about the ABCs of diabetes, you can help reduce your risk. A is for the A1C test, which measures the average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months; B is for blood pressure; and C is for cholesterol.

Talk to your doctor or other member of your health care team about the link between diabetes and heart disease. Use these questions as a guide for your next visit to the doctor:

• What are my ABC numbers and what are my ABC goals?
• How often should my ABCs be checked?
• What steps can I take to reach each of my ABC goals?
• Can taking medications such as aspirin, ACE inhibitors or statins help me reduce my risk for a heart attack or stroke?
• What are the symptoms of heart attack and stroke that I need to watch for? Do I need special testing to detect heart disease?
• What’s the best way for me to quit smoking?

This information is provided by the American Diabetes Association and the American College of Cardiology, partners in an educational initiative called, “Make the Link! Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke.”

Courtesy of ARA Content

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