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A lot of people who have
diabetes are aware that the condition increases their risk for heart disease.
But research indicates that women with diabetes may be at much higher risk for
heart disease than diabetic men.
A study conducted in
Finland found that men who had diabetes were three times more likely to develop
heart disease than people without diabetes, while women with diabetes were 9.5
time more likely to do so. The women in the study were more likely than men to
have obesity, high blood pressure, low levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL) and
high levels of triglycerides.
If you are a woman who has
diabetes, it’s important to be aggressive about the health of your heart. Be
sure to get checked regularly for cardiovascular disease risk factors, and if
you have these risk factors, take active steps to modify them through diet,
exercise and any medication that your doctor prescribes.
And of course, work closely
with your healthcare team to keep your blood glucose under control.
Source:
Diabetes Care, December 2004
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