Know what the diabetes ABCs are.

There is a link between diabetes and increased risks of heart attack. As the disease progresses, it also begins to destroy the blood vessels as well as the nerves that supply the heart. Not only does this make your heart weak and very vulnerable to heart diseases, but it also makes you less sensitive to the common symptoms associated with heart attack. Heart attack, you should know, is one of the most common causes of death in adult diabetics.

You can reduce your risks of developing heart problems which can lead to heart attacks if you know the diabetes ABCs.

A1c Test

Both the A1c test and your usual blood sugar tests check blood glucose levels. What makes them different, though, is that A1c tests measure your blood glucose levels over the past three months. So the higher the A1c numbers are, the higher your blood sugar level is, and the higher your risks will be in developing heart problems.

Normal A1c levels usually fall between 5.7 and 6.4. A person with results higher than 6.4 is considered diabetic. To minimize heart disease risks, you need to reduce your A1c levels.

Blood Pressure

Diabetes damages blood vessel walls and causes your blood pressure to rise, resulting in hypertension. High glucose levels coupled with uncontrolled hypertension further damage the blood vessel walls and increase your risks of heart disease.

Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg, but if you have diabetes, your goal should be a blood pressure of less than 140/90 mmHg.

Cholesterol

High cholesterol levels damage the blood vessel walls. The accumulation of bad cholesterol along the blood vessel walls result in fatty plaques that harden and narrow the vessels. Again, this increases the risks of heart disease.

Diabetics should maintain a bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglyceride levels of lower than 100 mg/dl and 150 mg/dl respectively. Good cholesterol (HDL) should be above 40 mg/dl.

If you can maintain normal values of these diabetes ABCs, then you can significantly reduce your risks of developing heart problems. So start eating healthy foods now and get on an exercise program.