over the years high blood sugar slowly causes damage to blood vessels throughout the body. this is especially true in the heart and brain. as a result heart disease and stroke are two of the most important health risks for people with diabetes. if you or someone you love has diabetes here are some of the statistics you need to know about heart disease and diabetes: heart disease strikes people with diabetes almost twice as often as people who don't have diabetes. people with diabetes tend to develop heart disease at a younger age than people without diabetes. two out of three people with diabetes die from either heart disease or stroke. compared to people without diabetes people with diabetes are at about two to four times the risk for stroke. stroke is a serious health risk for people with diabetes. but it affects fewer people overall than heart disease.
does having diabetes increase the risk of heart disease?