Diabetes can cause problems or complications in many parts of your body, including your heart, head, nerves and feet, eyes, kidneys and more. It’s so important to manage your diabetes as best as you can so that you can avoid some of the life-threatening complications of diabetes.

At the Heart of the Matter
A person’s risk for heart problems greatly increases if he/she is a diabetic. So, it’s important to protect your heart by managing your diabetes. People with diabetes often have health conditions that increase their risk for heart problems. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, an unhealthy, fat-laden diet all contribute to heart disease and heart attacks, the most common killer of people with diabetes. Heart attacks happen when the blood flow to the heart is blocked off by blood clots or cholesterol.

You can lower your chance of heart problems by:

• Controlling your blood pressure
• Monitoring your blood sugar
• Watching your cholesterol
• Keeping a healthy weight
• Making nutritious food choices
• Being active everyday
• Not smoking

Diseases like diabetes and heart problems can run in families. If you have family members with high blood pressure, diabetes or who have had a heart attack, you have a higher chance of getting these health problems, too. Learn to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack. They include:

• Chest pain or pressure
• Squeezing in chest
• Shortness of breath
• Trouble breathing
• Pain in jaw, one arm, back, neck, or stomach
• Dizzy spells
• Nausea/vomiting

If you experience any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Next: Focus on eye protection.