Endocrinologist Dr. Enrique Caballero explains why it’s so important for people with type 2 diabetes to pay attention to heart health on this episode of Diabetes Primetime.
The main takeaways from the episode:
1. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death for people with type 2 diabetes. The CVD-related issues that occur include heart attacks, atherosclerosis, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease.
2. Dr. Caballero identified the “five major enemies of the heart,” which must be kept under control in order to prevent the progression of CVD. They are:
- Diabetes
- Excess weight/obesity
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
3. Your food and nutritional intake is an important part of heart health. Dr. Caballero says the Mediterranean diet is one of the best options for reducing CVD as it integrates a lot of vegetables and protein, both from animals and plants.
4. There are several medications that have shown to be beneficial for those with diabetes and CVD. Ask your doctor about the options available to find what is right for you.
5. When you have diabetes, it’s important to keep track of the following numbers:
- A1C (provides an “average” of a person’s blood glucose levels over two to three months), ideally less than 7%.
- LDL cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dl, and the lower the better.
- HDL cholesterol is a measure of “good” cholesterol, the higher the better.
Talk to your doctor about what targets are right for you.
For more episodes of Diabetes Primetime, click here.
The medical information on Diabetes – What To Know’s website is provided as an information resource only. The content is not in any way intended to be nor should you rely on it as a substitute for professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, advice and treatment.
