1 / 6
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s vital to take steps to protect your heart health. In fact, those with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at such a higher risk of heart disease, there’s a name for it: diabetic heart disease (DHD). People with diabetes are also more likely to develop heart issues at a younger age and more likely to die from a cardiovascular-related event, like a heart attack or stroke.
The best thing you can do to protect your heart when you have diabetes is to monitor your blood sugar levels and keep up with your prescriptions or other medical treatments.
Certain lifestyle changes can also improve both diabetes and diabetic heart disease, as well as reduce the associated risks, like heart attack. Not sure where to begin? These lifestyle swaps can help.
Medically reviewed in December 2019.