How Does Borderline Diabetes Affect My Risk Of Developing Heart Disease?

— -- Question: My doctor told me I have borderline diabetes. What does that mean and should I be worried about developing heart disease?

Answer: Having borderline diabetes is a very serious problem. It means that your blood sugar level is elevated, but not quite at the level in which you would receive a diagnosis of diabetes. So typically it means your fasting blood sugar level is between 100 and 125 milligrams per deciliter. This means that you are at increased risk of developing diabetes over the next ten years. But it also means that you are at four- to five-fold increased risk of having a heart attack, a stroke, or another manifestation of coronary artery disease. If you have borderline diabetes, you should be worried and you should take measures to reduce your risk.

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