Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and heart disease is to blame for most of these deaths. Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease and stroke.

Consider these links between diabetes and heart disease:

• Adults with diabetes have heart disease rates that are two to four times higher than adults without diabetes.
• The risk for stroke is two to four times higher for people with diabetes.
• People without diabetes that have already had a heart attack have the same high risk for heart attack as middle-aged people with type 2 diabetes.
• 73 percent of adults with diabetes also have high blood pressure.
• People with diabetes have heart attacks at an earlier age.
• Deaths from heart disease in women with diabetes have increased 23 percent over the past 30 years, while women without diabetes have experienced a 27 percent decrease.

However, research has also shown that people with diabetes can decrease their risk factors for heart disease by taking a proactive approach to their health.

What steps should people with diabetes take to lower their risks for heart disease? First, people with diabetes should monitor their diet for fat and cholesterol. Avoid fried foods and fatty meats, whole milk, and regular cheeses. Instead, choose chicken with no skin, broiled fish, skim milk, and low-fat cheeses. Blood lipids, including cholesterol and triglycerides, should be regularly monitored by your healthcare provider. Medications are also available to lower blood lipid levels.

Secondly, people with diabetes should pay attention to their blood pressure. Even mildly elevated blood pressure can, over time, cause damage to the blood vessels. This damage can make you more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Ask your healthcare provider for guidance if your blood pressure is high.

Thirdly, people with diabetes should not smoke. Smoking, like diabetes, increases the risk for heart attack and stroke by damaging blood vessels. Smoking and diabetes are a potentially lethal combination. Ask your healthcare provider for guidance about tobacco cessation if you are finding it hard to quit.

Finally, an overall diabetes-management plan is essential. This plan should include a regular exercise regimen and weight management. Medication should be taken as instructed by your healthcare provider or pharmacist. If you have a question about a medication, call and ask. Good control of blood glucose levels is also important.

Active disease management is the best approach to preventing the complications of diabetes. A healthy, non-smoking lifestyle that includes attention to diet and healthy food choices, regular exercise, and good blood glucose control can help to break the link between diabetes and heart disease.

Also see

be smart about your heart. control the ABCs of diabetes
signs and symptoms of a heart attack
take charge of your diabetes - heart and blood vessel problems