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Summary
If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes you have an increased risk for heart disease. Diabetic heart disease can be coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure, and diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Diabetes by itself puts you at risk for heart disease. Other risk factors include
- Family history of heart disease
- Carrying extra weight around the waist
- Abnormal cholesterol levels
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
Some people who have diabetic heart disease have no signs or symptoms of heart disease. Others have some or all of the symptoms of heart disease.
Treatments include medications to treat heart damage or to lower your blood glucose (blood sugar), blood pressure, and cholesterol. If you are not already taking a low dose of aspirin every day, your doctor may suggest it. You also may need surgery or some other medical procedure. Lifestyle changes also help. These include a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, and quitting smoking.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Symptoms
- Know the Warning Signs of a Heart Attack (American Diabetes Association) - PDF Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
- Heart Health Tests for Diabetes Patients (American Heart Association)
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Taking Aspirin to Protect Your Heart (American Diabetes Association) - PDF
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Taking Care of Your Diabetes Means Taking Care of Your Heart
(National Diabetes Education Program)
Treatments and Therapies
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Chelation for Coronary Heart Disease
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
- Medical Tests and Procedures for Finding and Treating Heart and Blood Vessel Disease (American Diabetes Association) - PDF
Living With
- Diabetic Diet (American Heart Association)
- Protect Your Heart: Check Food Labels to Make Heart-Healthy Choices (American Diabetes Association) - PDF
- Protect Your Heart: Make Smart Food Choices (American Diabetes Association) - PDF
Related Issues
- All about Insulin Resistance (American Diabetes Association) - PDF
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Diabetic Cardiomyopathies
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Diabetic Heart Disease
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Myocardial glucotoxicity: Mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.
- Article: Establishment of a diagnostic model of coronary heart disease for patients...
- Article: Effects of Guizhi decoction for diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy: A protocol...
- Diabetic Heart Disease -- see more articles
Find an Expert
- American Diabetes Association
- American Heart Association
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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NIDDK Information Clearinghouses and Health Information Center
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)