Diabetes and Cholesterol - Diabetes and Cholesterol

Diabetes and Cholesterol
American Heart Association

Getting down to the details
If you have diabetes, you're more likely to have more cholesterol abnormalities Û which contributes to cardiovascular disease. Managing your cholesterol, and especially lowering LDL cholesterol, reduces your chance of cardiovascular disease and death. In fact, a person with diabetes who lowers his LDL cholesterol can reduce cardiovascular complications by 20 percent to 50 percent .

How do I know my cholesterol numbers?
A lipid profile is a measure of different kinds of fats in your blood. Your healthcare provider determines your lipid profile based on your total cholesterol, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, HDL ("good") cholesterol and triglyceride (blood fats) levels.

What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance in your blood that your liver makes. It's also found in foods from animals, such as egg yolks, meat, fish, poultry and whole-milk dairy products. Your body uses cholesterol to make hormones and build cell membranes and other needed tissues. But if too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the bloodstream, it can build up in the inner walls of the arteries and lead to fatty deposits of plaque called atherosclerosis. Learn more.

National Center Mailing Addresses
American Heart Association
National Center
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231

Telephone Information
AHA: 1-800-AHA-USA-1
or 1-800-242-8721

ASA: 1-888-4-STROKE
or 1-888-478-7653

AHA Professional Membership:
1-800-787-8984
or Outside US: 1-301-223-2307

AHA Instructor Network
1-877-AHA-4CPR

© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc. All rights reserved.