Heart Health
Ask the doctors: Should I worry about prediabetes?
Q. I have coronary artery disease, and my primary care doctor just told me that changes in my tests indicate I have prediabetes. This doesn't sound like a big deal, since I don't need medicines yet. But I'm wondering if I should start doing anything differently?
A. You raise an important issue relevant to millions of Americans, because type 2 diabetes damages blood vessels. In fact, this prediabetes phase is an absolutely critical time for you, especially because you have coronary artery disease. Almost everyone who gets type 2 diabetes passes through a prediabetes phase, when their glucose tests show modest, but worrisome, elevations, but their blood sugar readings aren't high enough to need oral diabetes drugs or insulin.
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