Women and Diabetes

• Women with diabetes have higher (2-fold) cardiovascular disease mortality rates than men with diabetes.¹

• Metabolic syndrome is more prevalent in women than in men with coronary artery disease and carries  a risk nearly as high as diabetes which is further increased when both conditions are present.²

• In premenopausal women, type 2 diabetes cancels out the protective effect of estrogen and the risk of coronary death increases by 3 to 4-fold compared with non-diabetic women. Diabetes confers only a 2-fold risk of heart attacks in men.³ (see Diabetes and women)

Sources

1. Pilote L, Dasgupta K, Guru V, et al. A comprehensive view of sex-specific issues related to cardiovascular disease. CMAJ. Mar 13 2007;176(6):S1-44.

2. Ma S, Cutter J, Tan CE, Chew SK, Tai ES. Associations of diabetes mellitus and ethnicity with mortality in a multiethnic Asian population: data from the 1992 Singapore National Health Survey. Am J Epidemiol. Sep 15 2003;158(6):543-552.

3. Pilote L., Dasgupta K, Guru V, et al. A comprehensive view of sex-specific issues related to cardiovascular disease. CMAJ. Mar 13 2007;176(6):S1-44.