Remember your preschool days when you were taught the ABCs? Did you know that even as adults these three letters are important to your health?
While the management of blood sugar has always been and remains a cornerstone of diabetes care, diabetes requires a comprehensive program that includes management of blood glucose and you can read these sugar balance reviews to learn about one such program. Management of blood pressure, and management of cholesterol. We call these key components of care the ABCs of diabetes: A stands for A1C, B is for blood pressure, and C is for cholesterol.
Diabetics are at an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Almost 66% of diabetic patients die from these complications every year. This is a very scary statistic that I see come true almost every week at the hospital.
It is very important for health care providers as well as patients to talk about ways to reduce these risks. I know that doctor’s visits can be, well, less than satisfying. Your doctor rushes in and out, spends 2 minutes with you, and expects you to be good for another 3000 miles. The American Diabetes Association and The American College of Cardiology have made this easier by initiating a Make the Link! program for diabetics.
A recent Make the Link! survey shows that 68% of people with diabetes do not consider a cardiovascular disease to be a serious complication of diabetes. Furthermore, 60% of people with diabetes surveyed do not feel at risk for either high blood pressure or cholesterol problems.
We need to educate ourselves and each other. Have questions written down before your doctor’s visit and push your doctor for the answers you want. Take it from a cardiac nurse, persistence is good!
You can lower your risk by keeping your ABCs of diabetes on target with wise food choices, physical activity, and medication. Losing weight can also help you manage your ABCs and prevent heart disease. Every step you take will help. The closer your numbers are to your targets, the better your chances of preventing heart disease or cutting your risk for another heart attack. If you smoke, get help to quit.
