Initiative aims to lower heart disease stroke risk among millions with diabetes

By ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News

person testing blood for diabetes

During her first pregnancy in 1994, Sophia Boulanger developed gestational diabetes and was later diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Then in 2011, Boulanger was told she had 90 percent blockages in all five vessels supplying blood to the heart.

The quintuple bypass surgery that followed was “the scariest moment of my life,” she recalled.

Despite a family history of diabetes, Boulanger wasn’t aware of the added health risks and challenges that could arise, such as heart disease and stroke.

Sophia Boulanger was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and later heart disease that required bypass surgery Photo courtesy of Sophia Boulanger
Sophia Boulanger was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes
and later heart disease that required bypass surgery.
(Photo courtesy of Sophia Boulanger)

“It is so important to listen to your body,” said the 55-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee. “I was experiencing general symptoms of fatigue, thirst and shortness of breath, but I didn’t take immediate action to address those signs with my doctor. My hope is for others to hear my story and learn from it.”

Today, Boulanger works closely with her endocrinologist and cardiologist to stay healthy. She has also partnered with the American Diabetes Association and ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ to share her story as part of a new initiative launching Friday that aims to help people with Type 2 diabetes reduce their risk of disability and death from heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems.

More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, including about 7.2 million who don’t know they have it, according to statistics from the ADA and AHA. Moreover, another 84.1 million U.S. adults have prediabetes. Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease than people without diabetes.

“Diabetes is a significant threat to the cardiovascular health of many Americans,” AHA chief executive officer Nancy Brown said in a news release. “As we work toward our goal to improve Americans’ health, this collaboration aims to unite the health care community with a comprehensive approach to caring for, educating, treating and empowering patients with diabetes to improve their cardiovascular health and their quality of life.”

The two nonprofits say the collaboration is designed to educate the public about the critical link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and to educate patients, train health care providers and support quality improvement measures for clinics and hospitals treating people with diabetes.

“Unfortunately, a common theme I find among my patients with diabetes is an overall lack of awareness for the connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” said endocrinologist Dr. Robert Eckel, a member of the ADA board of directors and a past AHA president.

Diabetes increases a person’s risk for many serious health problems, posing further challenges for managing diabetes.

“The added risk of heart disease needs to be communicated and then actively prevented or treated,” Eckel said.

The initiative is being supported by founding sponsors Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly and Company and Novo Nordisk, with Sanofi providing additional support as a national sponsor.

If you have questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected].


ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News Stories

ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News covers heart disease, stroke and related health issues. Not all views expressed in ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News stories reflect the official position of the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥. Statements, conclusions, accuracy and reliability of studies published in ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ scientific journals or presented at ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥â€™s official guidance, policies or positions.

Copyright is owned or held by the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt from or reprint these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News.

Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥â€™s Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service.

HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately.