You're more likely to have heart and blood vessel problems if you smoke cigarettes, have high blood pressure, or have too much cholesterol or other fats in your blood. Talk with your health care team about what you can do to lower your risk for heart and blood vessel problems. Ask about taking a daily aspirin to help prevent heart and blood vessel problems.

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Signs of Heart and Blood Vessel Problems

If you feel dizzy, have sudden loss of sight, slur your speech, or feel numb or weak in one arm or leg, you may be having serious heart and blood vessel problems. Your blood may not be getting to your brain as well as it should.

Danger signs of circulation problems to the heart include chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, swollen ankles, or irregular heartbeats. If you have any of these signs, go to an emergency room or call your health care provider right away.

Signs of circulation problems to your legs are pain or cramping in your buttocks, thighs, or calves during physical activity. Even if this pain goes away with rest, report it to your health care provider.

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Preventing and Controlling Heart and Blood Vessel Problems

Eat Right and Get Physical Activity

If you're overweight, talk with your dietitian about how to safely lose weight.

Choose a healthy diet, low in salt. Work with a dietitian to plan healthy meals. If you're overweight, talk about how to safely lose weight. Ask about a physical activity or exercise program for you. See A Few Things About Food to read more about healthy choices for food and physical activity.

Don't Use Tobacco

Smoking cigarettes causes hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. When you have diabetes and also use tobacco, the risk of heart and blood vessel problems is even greater. One of the best choices you can make for your health is to never start smoking—or if you smoke, to quit.

Not smoking is the healthiest choice you'll make for your heart.

At least once a year, your health care provider will ask you about tobacco use. If you smoke, talk to your provider about ways to help you stop.

Check Your Blood Pressure

Get your blood pressure checked at each visit. Record these numbers on the record sheets starting on page 91. If your blood pressure is higher than 130/80, you may want to buy a blood pressure cuff and check your blood pressure at home. Ask your health care provider where you can buy a cuff.

If your blood pressure is still high after 3 months, you may need medicine to help control it. Many medicines are available to treat high blood pressure. If you have side effects from the medicine, ask your health care provider to change it.

Check Your Cholesterol

Get your cholesterol checked once a year. Record the results in the records section. Your total cholesterol should be lower than 200 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). Ask your health care team to explain what your HDL and LDL levels are.

Choose heart-healthy foods for your meal plan.

If your cholesterol is higher than 200 mg/dL on two or more checks, you can do several things to lower it. You can work with your health care team to improve your blood glucose control, you can lose weight (if you're overweight), and you can cut down on foods that are high in fat and cholesterol. Ask your health care team about foods that are low in fats. Also ask about a physical activity program.

If your cholesterol is still high after 6 months, you may need a medicine to help control it. Your health care provider will advise you about what medicine to take.

Ask If You Need an Electrocardiogram (EKG)

If you're having heart and blood circulation problems, an EKG may help you and your health care provider know if you need to change your treatment.

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Return to Take Charge of Your Diabetes — Table of Contents

Also see:

be smart about your heart. control the ABCs of diabetes
diabetes and heart disease
signs and symptoms of a heart attack