Beyond Cholesterol: Cutting Heart Disease Risk ( Diabetes )
Heart disease is the number one killer of people with diabetes. Many of the strategies for preventing heart disease are well known: Stop smoking, control your blood pressure (less then 130/80), keep your LDL cholesterol level below 100, exercise regularly, and eat healthy. There are other strategies, however, that work, even if they don’t get as much attention on the news.
For example, a recent study showed that blood pressure-lowering drugs called ACE inhibitors could reduce the risk of heart attack and death from cardiovascular disease among diabetics. The risk reduction was significant — as much as 30 percent. This was true even if people did not have high blood pressure or a history of heart disease. Since ACE inhibitors have been shown to help people with diabetes by reducing the progression of kidney disease, many physicians are prescribing ACE inhibitors to reduce heart disease in their patients. Taking a low-dose aspirin (81 mg) daily may also reduce the risk of heart disease. To avoid stomach problems, use enteric-coated aspirin.
B-man 