Diabetes increases the risk of developing blood vessel disease throughout the body. Typically, blood vessel (vascular) disease involves damage or weakening of the blood vessel walls, which can make them vulnerable to a buildup of plaque. This process is called atherosclerosis. When this buildup occurs within the coronary arteries, which feed the heart muscle, the condition is called coronary artery disease (CAD).

CAD, the most common type of heart condition, can impede blood flow to the heart muscle. Inadequate blood flow can cause a number of conditions, including:

• Angina. A type of temporary chest pain, pressure or discomfort that occurs when the heart is not getting enough oxygen.
  
  
• Heart attack. Occurs when vessel blockages reduce or stop blood flow to the heart. The affected area of the heart stops working, weakening the heart. People with diabetes tend to have heart attacks that are more severe and occur earlier in life than nondiabetics.
  
  
• Heart failure. Over time, the heart may begin to struggle to supply the body with the blood it requires. Heart failure is a term used when the heart cannot meet the body’s needs. It is a chronic disease that is the result of other cardiovascular conditions, such as high blood pressure and cardiomyopathy (weakened heart muscle). Among women with coronary heart disease, diabetes has been shown to be the strongest risk factor for heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. Studies have found an increased risk of heart failure in people with the eye disease diabetic retinopathy.

High blood pressure is a major factor in many diabetic complications, such as diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy and glaucoma. It occurs when the force of blood against artery walls becomes excessive, which can affect entire body. In the heart, it is a cause as well as a consequence of atherosclerosis. High blood pressure is commonly diagnosed in patients with diabetes.

Diabetic vascular disease (diabetic angiopathy) can occur in other areas of the body. When it occurs in the peripheral arteries, the condition is called peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Diabetes and cigarette smoking are particularly strong risk factors for PAD, according to the American Heart Association. Cerebrovascular disease affects the blood vessels serving the brain and can lead to a stroke.

Diabetes is also a risk factor for several other cardiovascular conditions, including:

• Atrial fibrillation. An abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia) that affects the heart’s upper chambers (atria). Complications of atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrhythmia, can include blood clots, stroke, pulmonary embolism and heart failure.
  
  
• Cardiac arrest. A sudden, profound disturbance in the heart’s rhythm that makes the heart stop beating or slow to the point where the life is unsustainable. The leading cause of cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation (condition in which the heart’s lower chambers quiver instead of pumping blood) accompanied by CAD or other heart diseases.
  
  
• Anemia. An insufficient number of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Severe anemia can contribute to cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Recent research indicates that anemia affects many elderly people with type 2 diabetes, especially those with kidney disease or macroangiopathy. Anemia is also common in dialysis patients.

In addition, diabetes complicates recovery from cardiac surgeries such as a coronary artery bypass or a heart transplant. Recent research indicates that hyperglycemia increases the risk of blood clots and embolisms after surgeries such as a joint replacement.