Have Diabetes? Reduce Your Risk of Heart Problems

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10 Ways to Avoid Heart Complications

These steps can lower your risk of cardiovascular complications:

1. Talk to your health-care provider about taking a daily low-dose aspirin (75–162 mg).
2. Get an OK from your health-care provider to be physically active if you’ve been sedentary and have cardiovascular risk factors.
3. Don’t smoke. Diabetes compounds the risks that smoking poses for cardiovascular disease.
4. Drink only moderate amounts of alcohol (one drink per day for women, two for men).
5. Switch from foods containing saturated fat and trans fats to those with unsaturated fats.
6. Cook with less salt and skip the sprinkle at the table. Choose fewer high-sodium foods.
7. Track your progress. Have your blood pressure and A1C checked twice a year if you’re at target or every three months if not. Test your blood lipids once a year (or more often if you adjust medicines).
8. Make sure your health-care provider evaluates your cardiovascular risk factors every year.
9. Know the signs of a heart attack and stroke.
10. Work with your health-care provider to make sure you are doing everything to hit your ABC (A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol) targets.