Let’s get this out of the way at the start: People with diabetes have a higher-than-average risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack and stroke. Now let’s move on to what you can do about it. According to the American Diabetes Association Position Statement “Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes 2008,” the most important steps you can take to reduce your risk are:

• Control your blood pressure.
• Control your lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides).
• Take aspirin.
• Quit smoking.

We’re going to start with the one that’s both cheap and easy.

#1 Take Aspirin

One of the main jobs of the platelets in your blood is to form clots. This is good when you cut yourself, but not so good if a clot forms in an unhealthy, narrowed blood vessel. That’s because it will plug up what space is left, causing a heart attack or stroke. People with diabetes have sticky platelets that form clots too easily. Aspirin makes platelets less sticky. The evidence that aspirin therapy is useful is backed up by more than a hundred studies, and yet less than half of people who could and should be are taking aspirin.

Who Should Take Aspirin

• If you have a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), take 75–162 mg of aspirin a day. A “history of CVD” includes a heart attack, a stroke, a mini-stroke (TIA), angioplasty, angina (chest pain due to coronary artery disease), peripheral vascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, or a history of vascular surgery. Aspirin reduces your risk of another CVD event.
• If you don’t have a personal history of CVD, your doctor may recommend aspirin if you’re at higher risk for CVD because of any of these reasons:
  • You’re over 40
  • You have a family history of CVD
  • You have high blood pressure
  • You smoke
  • You have unhealthy cholesterol levels
  • You have early signs of kidney disease

Who Shouldn’t Take Aspirin

Don’t take aspirin if you have an allergy to aspirin or a bleeding tendency; are already on anti- coagulant therapy; have had recent gastrointestinal bleeding; or have active liver disease. Your doctor might consider another medication that will prevent clots.

Aspirin therapy in people under 30 is not recommended, because researchers don’t know if it will help. People younger than 21 should not take aspirin because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome.

One Thing You Can Do Today - Buy a Bottle

• Buy a bottle of low-dose aspirin and take your first tablet.
• You’ll see 81-mg aspirin labeled “low dose,” “low strength,” “regimen,” and “baby aspirin.”
• One low-dose aspirin per day will cost you about $15 for an entire year.
• Call your doctor’s office if you’re not sure whether it’s okay for you to take aspirin.

For the rest of the article plus more info on keeping your heart healthy, look for the February issue of Diabetes Forecast.