Heart and circulation problems in diabetes
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Heart and circulation problems in diabetes: Essentials
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How common are heart and circulation problems in diabetes?

About 7 in 100 adults in the United States have diabetes.

That's about 1 in every 15 adults, or about 21 million people.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Data and trends.
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm (accessed on 11 April 2006).
 
 
 
 
 
1

Heart and circulation problems are very common in people with diabetes. Up to 8 in 10 people who have type 2 diabetes either get heart or circulation problems or die from these problems.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Snow V, Aronson MD, Hornbake ER, et al.
Lipid control in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians.
Annals of Internal Medicine. 2004; 140: 644-649.
 
 
 
 
 
2 If you have diabetes, you are 2 to 4 times more likely to get problems with your heart and circulation than if you don't have diabetes.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
American Diabetes Association.
Aspirin therapy in diabetes (position statement).
Diabetes Care. 2004; 27(supplement 1): 72S-73S.
 
 
 
 
 
3

In the United States, about 5 million people who have diabetes and are age 35 years or older say they have had heart problems or a stroke.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Data and trends.
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm (accessed on 11 April 2006).
 
 
 
 
 
1

  • About 3.5 million have had heart problems such as a heart attack
     
     
     
     
     
    Source:
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Data and trends.
    Available at http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm (accessed on 11 April 2006).
     
     
     
     
     
    1
  • About 1.5 million have had a stroke.
     
     
     
     
     
    Source:
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Data and trends.
    Available at http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm (accessed on 11 April 2006).
     
     
     
     
     
    1
If you're a woman and have diabetes, your chance of getting heart and circulation problems is about the same as a man's.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Sigal R, Malcolm J, Arnaout A.
Prevention of cardiovascular events in diabetes.
February 2006. Clinical Evidence (Based on November 2004 search). Available at http://www.clinicalevidence.com/ceweb/conditions/msh/1801/1801.jsp (accessed on 24 July 2008).
 
 
 
 
 
4 Usually, if you're a woman and haven't been through menopause (haven't stopped menstruating) yet, you have a lower chance of getting heart disease. But having diabetes removes this usual protection for women.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
British Medical Association Board of Science and Education.
Diabetes mellitus. An update for healthcare professionals.
February 2004. Available at http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf (accessed on 21 June 2006).
 
 
 
 
 
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These figures sound quite alarming. But remember you are an individual. No one can say what will happen to you. And there are good treatments to help lower your risk of getting these problems.

Sources for the information on this page:
  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and trends.Available at http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm (accessed on 11 April 2006).
  2. Snow V, Aronson MD, Hornbake ER, et al.Lipid control in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians.Annals of Internal Medicine. 2004; 140: 644-649.
  3. American Diabetes Association.Aspirin therapy in diabetes (position statement).Diabetes Care. 2004; 27(supplement 1): 72S-73S.
  4. Sigal R, Malcolm J, Arnaout A.Prevention of cardiovascular events in diabetes.February 2006. Clinical Evidence (Based on November 2004 search). Available at http://www.clinicalevidence.com/ceweb/conditions/msh/1801/1801.jsp (accessed on 24 July 2008).
  5. British Medical Association Board of Science and Education.Diabetes mellitus. An update for healthcare professionals.February 2004. Available at http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf (accessed on 21 June 2006).
This information was last updated on Mar 06, 2009
BMJ Group
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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