Diabetes and Heart Disease: The Critical Connection

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Course Objectives
  1. Explain the physiological connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
  2. Identify key overlapping risk factors, symptoms, and diagnostic tests.
  3. Describe lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions that address both conditions.
  4. Recognize the phlebotomist’s role in early detection, monitoring, and clinical collaboration.

Course Content
Course Creator: Kris Fox CPT1
Total CE Hours: 1 Credit Hour
Pace Course #: 586-2223-25
Course Description: This self-study course explores the powerful and often underestimated connection between diabetes and heart disease. Healthcare professionals, especially those in diagnostic and frontline roles, will examine how metabolic dysfunction contributes to cardiovascular damage, how lab testing informs diagnosis and risk assessment, and what patients can do to protect themselves. Emphasis is placed on prevention, early detection, and co-treatment strategies through clinical care and lifestyle choices.
References: 
  1. (2024, April 2). Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes. American Heart Association. Retrieved July 18, 2025, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes/diabetes-complications-and-risks/cardiovascular-disease--diabetes
  2. Ormazabal, V., Nair, S., Elfeky, O. et al. Association between insulin resistance and the development of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovasc Diabetol 17, 122 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-018-0762-4
  3. Kosmas, C. E., Bousvarou, M. D., Kostara, C. E., Papakonstantinou, E. J., Salamou, E., & Guzman, E. (2023). Insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. The Journal of international medical research, 51(3), 3000605231164548. https://doi.org/10.1177/03000605231164548
  4. (2023, September 2). The role of oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction. Cardiovascular Diabetology. Retrieved July 18, 2025, from https://cardiab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12933-023-01965
  5. Lowe, G., Woodward, M., Hillis, G., Rumley, A., Li, Q., Harrap, S., Marre, M., Hamet, P., Patel, A., Poulter, N., & Chalmers, J. (2014). Circulating inflammatory markers and the risk of vascular complications and mortality in people with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease or risk factors: the ADVANCE study. Diabetes, 63(3), 1115–1123. https://doi.org/10.2337/db12-1625
  6. (n.d.). Blood tests for heart disease. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved July 18, 2025, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-disease/art-20049357
  7. (2024, May 15). Diabetes and Your Heart. CDC. Retrieved July 18, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/diabetes-complications/diabetes-and-your-heart.html
  8. (n.d.). Diabetes Can Affect Your Heart. American Diabetes Association. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/diabetes-and-your-heart/diabetes-affect-your-heart
  9. (2024, April 2). Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes. American Heart Association. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes/diabetes-complications-and-risks/cardiovascular-disease--diabetes
  10. (2022, May 5). Association Between Anthropometric Risk Factors and Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. CDC. Retrieved July 25, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2022/21_0231.htm
  11. (2017, August 12). Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Understanding Symptoms and Risk Factors. National Library Of Medicine. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6206467/
  12. (2025, February 21). Diabetes and Heart Attack: What Is the Relationship? Very Well Health. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/diabetes-and-heart-attack-6749495
  13. (2022, January 11). How Your Diabetes Can Mask Heart Disease or a Heart Attack. Cleveland Health. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/could-your-diabetes-be-masking-silent-heart-disease
  14. (n.d.). Medical Test. MedlinePlus. Retrieved July 27, 2025, from https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/
  15. (2017, February 15). Cardiovascular risk assessment and screening in diabetes. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6768525
  16. (n.d.). The importance of healthy lifestyle behaviors in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Science Direct. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003306202100133X
  17. Amy P. Campbell; DASH Eating Plan: An Eating Pattern for Diabetes Management. Diabetes Spectr 1 May 2017; 30 (2): 76–81. https://doi.org/10.2337/ds16-0084
  18. (2023, June 19). Effect of SGLT2 Inhibitors on Cardiovascular Outcomes Across Various Patient Populations. The Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2023.04.034
  19. (n.d.). Statins, ACE inhibitors and ARBs in cardiovascular disease. Science Direct. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521690X08001723
  20. (2015, July 29). Effectiveness of practices to reduce blood sample hemolysis in EDs: A laboratory medicine best practices systematic review and meta-analysis. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved July 27, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4518461
  21. Eaton, E. K. (2022). A Fundamental Guide To Phlebotomy (1st ed.). NHCO-National Healthcare Organization.

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