Diabetes and Heart Disease

Diabetes and Heart Disease

• People with diabetes are twice as likely to have a heart attack or a stroke as people without diabetes. Among people with diabetes over age 65, approximately 68% die from heart disease and 15% die from stroke.

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• The chance of developing heart disease among people with diabetes is not dependent on how well you manage your blood glucose. So, when we think about diabetes, we should really be thinking about heart disease as well! To most people, heart disease means heart attacks, chest pain or stroke. However, sometimes heart disease hides among a group of symptoms that are only slightly elevated above normal levels.

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• People who possess any three of the following are defined as having Metabolic Syndrome

  and have twice the risk of developing heart disease:

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Large waistline – greater than 35 inches for women, and 40 inches for men

High triglycerides – greater than 150 mg/dL on a fasting blood test 

Low HDL “good” cholesterol – less than 40 mg/dL on a fasting blood test

High blood pressure – greater than 130/85 mmHg or taking blood pressure-lowering medicine

„ High blood glucose – greater than 100 mg/dL on a fasting blood test.