Diabetes & Heart Disease

Is there a Connection between Diabetes and Heart Disease?
An increase in the occurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD) is linked to persons with Diabetes, High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure and Obesity. The percentage of diabetic patients that are obese is 80%. Obesity issues can contribute to higher levels of cholesterol for persons with diabetes.

Men, between the ages of 35 and 64, with diabetes have an increase in the risk of congestive heart failure by 4 times. Women in the same age brackets have an increased risk by 8 times.

A1C (HEMOGLOBIN A1C)

A1C test checks your control over diabetes for a 2 to 3 month period. The A1C test looks at the amount of glucose that has attached to blood cells. As glucose levels rise, more and more glucose attaches to the blood cells. The A1C test result is shown as a percentage. The target range for A1C is 6.5%. Routine self-monitoring of blood glucose is the most successful approach to self-management of diabetes because it provides an ongoing assessment of a person’s blood glucose level. Since most long-term complications of diabetes are related to A1C levels, this test should be a regular part of assessing your diabetes care.