Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among people with diabetes. If you have diabetes, you're up to 4 times more likely to have heart disease or suffer a stroke.
The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) developed a campaign entitled "Be Smart About Your Heart. Control the ABCs of Diabetes." to help reduce CVD and other diabetes complications.
The campaign focuses on three critical factors:
- Blood glucose - As reflected in your A1C
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol
If you have diabetes, know someone who has it, or are a diabetes educator, the NDEP has free educational materials. They're available in English, Spanish, and 15 Asian and Pacific Islander languages. They include record forms for keeping track of test results. You can download the materials at:
Be Smart About Your Heart. Control the ABCs of Diabetes.
