How to Protect Your Heart if You Have Diabetes
BY KIMBERLY GOAD You’ve probably heard that diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. How major? According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), adults with diabetes are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as those without diabetes. Regular exercise and healthy eating go a long way toward making sure your ticker is in good shape. But your doctor may also recommend medication to help lower your risk. Here’s what you need to know about the medications most often prescribed to treat several common contributors to heart disease. Treating high blood pressure Blood pressure is the force of blood flow inside your arteries (blood vessels). If your blood exerts too much force on those vessels, your heart has to work harder than it should, putting you at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, eye problems and kidney disease. As many as two out of three adults with diabetes have high blood pressure, also called hypertension. If you have d...
Comments
Post a Comment