Heart Disease Is a Real Diabetes Risk

Heart disease and stroke are a major concern for people with diabetes.

Picture two groups standing side by side. Adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to have heart disease or stroke. They also tend to develop these conditions at a younger age.

Heart damage often builds over months and years, not overnight. Your blood vessels are like hoses, and their inner lining keeps the path smooth. Over time, high blood sugar harms that lining.

Plaque, a fatty buildup, can gather at the damaged spot and narrow the hose. This can happen before any symptoms appear.

Three things affect your heart and blood vessels: blood sugar, blood pressure and blood fats. Blood sugar is the sugar in your blood. Blood pressure is how hard blood pushes against your vessel walls.

Blood fats are fats that travel through your blood. Think of kitchen grease in a drain. Too much of it sticks to the walls.

Your care team can help you reduce many of these risks.

Key takeaways

• Adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to have heart disease or stroke.
• Heart damage can build for years before any symptoms show up.
• Blood sugar, blood pressure and blood fats all affect your heart and blood vessels.

Try it

Find your most recent blood pressure reading and write down the date and where it was taken. At your next visit, ask your care team how often they want readings.