sometimes appear much lower in the body — in the feet.
Understanding how diabetes and heart disease work together to affect foot health is critical for preventing serious complications.
The Established Link Between Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
The ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes (2024) state that chronic hyperglycemia contributes to both microvascular and macrovascular damage. This includes:
Damage to small blood vessels (microvascular complications such as neuropathy)
Damage to larger arteries (macrovascular disease such as coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease)
Similarly, the AHA Scientific Statement on Cardiovascular Disease
