Heart Health

Better blood sugar tracking: A benefit for heart health?

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
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Continuous glucose monitors may help people better manage diabetes, a leading contributor to heart disease.

The high blood sugar levels that characterize diabetes — which affects about one in 10 American adults — are bad news for blood vessels. Elevated blood sugar can damage artery walls, making them more likely to narrow and stiffen; it also makes the blood stickier and more likely to clot. Having diabetes more than doubles your risk of heart disease.

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About the Author

photo of Julie Corliss

Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

Julie Corliss is the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter. Before working at Harvard, she was a medical writer and editor at HealthNews, a consumer newsletter affiliated with The New England Journal of Medicine. She … See Full Bio
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