Living with Diabetes

One in three women will die of heart disease compared to one in nine women dying of breast cancer. Forty percent of heart attacks result in death. Diabetes is a powerful risk factor for heart disease in women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women with diabetes. Women with diabetes are 2 times as likely to have a second heart attack and 4 times more likely to have heart failure than women without diabetes.

Many women with type 2 diabetes already have heart disease when they are diagnosed or have many of the risk factors such as high lipids levels, high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, and abnormalities in blood vessel function. Women with type 1 diabetes can develop heart disease when they are young. Women with diabetes are not only at greater risk for heart disease, but also experience more adverse outcomes.

Here's what you can do to protect yourself:

• Don't Smoke
• Control your blood pressure
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise regularly
• Eat a low-fat diet
• Take care of diabetes
• Be aware of chest pain
• Know your family history

For more information, visit Family Doctor or the American Heart Association.