According to an 2013 article in Diabetologia, despite remarkable improvements in life expectancy and a decline in cardiovascular mortality during the last few decades, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.

Women with diabetes have double the risk of death from heart disease than men with diabetes.

Women’s health has traditionally focused on sexual and reproductive health. Unfortunately, there is lack of awareness of CVD in women, among both clinicians and women themselves.

Yet we know that as many as six in every ten deaths from CVD are related to modifiable risk factors, even among women. See the nine risk factors that predict CV Disease in Women in the “Interheart Study.”

Key Message – As diabetes educators, we can raise awareness and advocate to treat risk factors and encourage women to take an active role in preventing heart disease through daily lifestyle changes.

Learn more via the May Diabetes Ed Newsletter!