Type 1 diabetes statin guidelines

Why are statins prescribed?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people in the United States. People with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke compared to people without diabetes.

The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to have heart disease. This is because over time high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and nerves that control your heart.

A common cause of heart disease is plaque (cholesterol deposits) that builds up in the arteries.

Best statin for diabetics

When plaque continues to build, your arteries narrow, making it harder for blood to flow to your heart. This can cause heart muscles to weaken and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

For this reason, your doctor may prescribe a statin (cholesterol-lowering medicine) to reduce your risk of heart disease.

About half of people who take medicine to manage high blood cholesterol take a statin.

How do statins work?

Statins are a type of medicine that reduces the amount of cholesterol made in the liver.

Statins also help remove LDL ("

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