People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing heart disease, and a higher risk of developing heart disease at a younger age when compared to people that do not have diabetes. This is because of the risk factors that diabetics often have, such as high cholesterol and hypertension, or high blood pressure.

The combination of having both high blood pressure and diabetes further increases your risk of developing heart disease. High blood pressure causes the heart to work harder just to pump blood through your body. This strain on your heart and blood vessels increases the risk of a heart attack, a stroke, kidney disease, or other serious medical issues.

High LDL cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol, often clogs the blood vessels as it builds up in the body. You can develop atherosclerosis, caused by plaque on the artery walls, which hardens the arteries.

What other ways does diabetes affect your heart? High blood sugar can damage the nerves and the blood vessels that control the heart and surrounding blood vessels. This can lead to damage to the heart over time, even if your blood glucose level is well-managed.

Control your blood sugar by following your treatment plan. Maintain contact with all members of your care team. Get moving, and remember that walking is one of the best forms of exercise.