Having diabetes means you are more likely to develop heart disease. People with diabetes are also more likely to have certain risk factors, such as high blood pressure NIH external link or high cholesterol, that increase their chances of having a heart attack or a stroke.
If you have diabetes, you can protect your heart and health by managing your blood glucose, also called blood sugar. You can also protect yourself by controlling your high blood pressure and high cholesterol. If you smoke, get help to stop.
What is the link between diabetes, heart disease, and stroke?
High blood glucose from diabetes can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart and blood vessels. Over time, this damage can lead to heart disease.1
People with diabetes tend to develop heart disease at a younger age than people without diabetes. Adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to have heart disease or stroke as adults without diabetes.2,3
The good news is that the steps you take to manage your diabetes also help lower your chances of having heart disease or stroke.
What else increases my chances of heart disease or stroke if I have diabetes?
Your risk for heart disease is greater if you are male rather than female, whether you have diabetes or not.2 If you do have diabetes, other factors add to your chances of developing heart disease or having a stroke.
