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Diabetes and Heart Disease

Last Updated June 2022 | This article was created by familydoctor.org editorial staff and reviewed by Kyle Bradford Jones, MD, FAAFP

People who have diabetes are more likely to get heart disease. When you have diabetes, your blood sugar level is often much higher than it should be. Too much sugar in the blood can cause damage to many parts of the body, including blood vessels. Some lifestyle habits may also raise the risk of heart disease.

Diabetes, being overweight, high blood pressure, and heart disease are related. But there are things you can do to reduce the risks of all four conditions. Diet and exercise are good ways to control your blood sugar level, lower your blood pressure, and cut your risk of getting heart disease. When diet and exercise don’t help enough, medicines can help control blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol levels, and control blood pressure.

Controlling diabetes – Path to improved health

There are many things you can do to be proactive about your health. Taking care of yourself is especially important when you have diabetes. Some of the things you would do to control diabetes will also lower your risk for heart disease.

Keep your blood sugar level under control.

Controlling your blood sugar level will lower your risk of heart disease. Many people who have diabetes check their blood sugar level every day. This confirms their medicines and/or insulin, diet, and exercise are working to keep their blood sugar in a normal range.

Lose weight—and keep it off.

Losing weight helps a lot of health problems. For example, if you’ve been told your blood pressure is too high, losing weight can bring it down. If your blood sugar level has been hard to control, losing weight can help.

Weight loss is important if you have a lot of extra weight around your waist and abdominal area. People who tend to carry extra weight around their waist are more at risk for heart disease than people who have extra weight in the hips or thighs. Even losing just 10 pounds can help your blood pressure, sugars, and the risk for heart problems. If you need help losing weight, ask your family doctor for advice. He or she can help figure out a safe and healthy plan for you.

Lower your cholesterol level.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance your body uses to protect nerves, make cell tissues, and produce certain hormones. All the cholesterol your body needs is made by your liver. Cholesterol in the food you eat (such as eggs, meats, and dairy products) is extra. Too much cholesterol in your blood can clog your arteries.

There are two types of cholesterol. LDL (which stands for low-density lipoprotein) is the so-called “bad” cholesterol that can clog your arteries and lead to heart disease. HDL (which stands for high density lipoprotein), is the “good” cholesterol that carries unneeded cholesterol away from body tissues. This lowers your risk of heart disease.

If your doctor says your cholesterol level is too high, what can you do about it? It helps to lose weight and eat a healthy diet.

You should limit the amount of fatty and cholesterol-rich foods you eat. There are many cookbooks available that contain low-fat, low-cholesterol recipes and meal suggestions. If you need help figuring out how to change your diet, your doctor might refer you to a dietitian. A dietitian has special training in planning healthy diets.

If diet alone doesn’t lower your cholesterol, certain medicines can help do that. You and your doctor can talk about these medicines. The medicine that’s best for you depends on your special needs and medical condition.

Increase your physical activity.

Along with diet, exercise is very important for people who have diabetes. Diet and exercise work together to help your body work properly. If you’ve changed your diet to lose weight, exercising can help you lose weight faster. Even if you are not losing weight, do not get discouraged. Adding exercise to your routine will still make a positive impact on your health.

You and your doctor can plan exercises that will work best for you and are safe for you. You don’t need a gym or expensive equipment to get good exercise. Brisk walking is great exercise. Climbing stairs instead of taking an elevator is another good thing to do.

Like eating a healthy diet, exercise will help keep your blood sugar level normal and can lower your risk of heart disease.

Control your blood pressure.

People who have diabetes often also have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a big risk factor for stroke. It also increases your risk for heart disease and kidney disease.

The same lifestyle changes that control blood sugar levels and lower your risk of heart disease may also keep your blood pressure at safe levels. Weight loss and exercise are important. The more weight you lose, the more you lower your blood pressure. It’s also important not to drink very much alcohol.

If your blood pressure doesn’t come down enough with diet and exercise, your doctor might have you take medicines to help.

If you smoke, stop smoking.

Smoking is bad for everyone, but it’s even worse for people who have diabetes. That’s because it damages the blood vessels. If you have diabetes and smoke, you double your risk of getting heart disease. If you keep smoking while you try to reduce other risks (such as losing weight), you won’t be able to exercise as much. This means you probably won’t lose the weight you need to.

Things to consider

The higher your blood sugar, the higher your risk for developing heart disease. This means if your blood sugar is left uncontrolled, it can really damage your heart. Other factors can increase your risk even more, including smoking or being overweight. Having these risk factors likely means you’ll develop heart problems sooner. And your heart problems will be more severe.

If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor about the best way to manage your blood sugar. Ask the doctor to recommend an exercise program for you. Ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician.

Questions for your doctor

  • Do I have risk factors that increase my likelihood for developing heart disease?
  • If I have type 2 diabetes, can I manage it with diet and exercise alone?
  • If I take medicine to control my blood sugar, do I really need to diet and exercise?
  • Should I also see a cardiologist if I have diabetes?

Resources

American Diabetes Association: Nutrition, Eating Doesn’t Have to Be Boring

American Heart Association: Healthy Eating

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