1. Heart Disease

Cardiovascular complications are one of the most common long-term effects of diabetes. Your doctor may perform several tests to check for heart-related problems and help you prevent any serious health issues.

It’s important to regularly check your blood pressure, whether at home or at the doctor’s office, to measure the blood flow through your arteries. You should also check your levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol.

A complete medical record should also include a baseline EKG. It’s noteworthy that cardiovascular diseases run in families, so if you know your parents or grandparents had any heart-related issues, your doctor may recommend what to do to prevent them, especially if you have diabetes.

Prevention plans may include stress management, weight loss, regular exercise, and keeping your cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides at normal levels.