Care for your heart
All people with diabetes are at elevated risk for coronary artery disease, but for women the excess risk is twice as great as for men. So women with diabetes should pay special attention to their coronary risk factors, such as high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, and physical inactivity, and make sure they get the medical treatment they need. All people with diabetes are now advised to take a cholesterol-lowering statin drug to reduce their risk of heart disease. (Studies show women are less likely than men to be prescribed statins and other heart-protective drugs.)