Diabetes

If you have diabetes, your risk of getting CHD is much higher. Diabetic adults have a rate of death from heart disease that is 2 to 4 times higher than people who don’t have diabetes. Overall, at least two-thirds of people with diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease. Even if blood sugar levels are under control, diabetes increases the risk of CHD, but the risks are even greater if blood sugar is not well controlled.

A special concern for diabetic patients is the risk of “silent” CHD—having heart disease without showing any outward symptoms or signs of it. People with diabetes are at especially high risk for silent CHD. In a major study of diabetic patients who showed no evidence of CHD, 22% of those aged 50 to 75 years were found to have silent CHD.

The best thing you can do for your heart if you have diabetes is to talk with your doctor and follow his or her advice about reducing your risk of CHD. For most people, that advice will include developing healthy eating habits, getting regular exercise, and possibly taking medications to control blood sugar levels.