Diabetes support groups are available to help the diabetics through learning and planning their new lifestyle.
This is nowhere more essential than in learning how to prevent heart attack, a long term complication of this condition.
Take heart for it can be prevented.
Heart and blood vessel disease are the main cause of death among diabetics because this condition can damage the major arteries and the small blood vessels.
As a result, it is easier for the fatty deposits to develop in the arteries.
This is known as atherosclerosis.
This leads to the narrowing of the arteries which in turn can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
With the narrowing of the arteries comes less blood rich in oxygen, flowing to the heart.
The coronary artery disease follows.
This can go on slowly but surely with the person concerned not noticing it at all but with the help of the diabetes support groups, this event can be prevented.
Here are the signs and symptoms to know if one is experiencing a heart attack.
To prevent this from happening, call diabetes support groups for help:

• Prolonged and increasing occurrence of chest pain
• Squeezing pain or pressure on the chest center for longer than a few minutes
• Prolonged pain in the area of the upper abdomen or upset stomach
• Pain or discomfort going further than the chest to shoulder, back, arm, even to the area of the neck, jaw and teeth
• Sweating
• Feeling faint and fainting
• Vomiting and nausea or unsettled stomach
• Shortness of breath
• Lightheadedness

What is the treatment for coronary artery disease? The doctor will recommend some kind of drug therapy in order to make the blood flow to the muscle of the heart better.
This will ease the symptoms and help prevent coronary artery disease.
One does not want to let this go without treatment.
The diabetes support groups will help clarify each one.

• Aspirin - Blood clotting can be reduced with a daily low-dose.
  Sometimes though, this is not safe for everyone.
  The doctor will be able to tell if it is safe for the particular situation of a patient.
  
• Drugs that lower cholesterol - This plays an important role to prevent and treat coronary artery disease because cholesterol is a big part of the deposits that lead to the narrowing of the arteries.
  
• Drugs that lower blood pressure - This will reduce the work load on the heart which will greatly improve the flow of blood in the arteries.
  
• Other drugs - Cardiac catheterization may be recommended by the doctor.
  This treatment involves the injection of a dye into the heart's blood vessels.
  The X-ray will see the dye which will show how many blockages are there.
  This will tell the doctor if there is a need for angioplasty to open the arteries.
  Surgery may even be recommended to clear the clogged arteries.
  

Can cardiovascular disease be prevented?There are steps one can take to help the blood vessels free form the fatty deposits.
They can be kept wide open so the blood can flow freely to the heart and to the other major organs.
These steps can certainly help stop or at the very least reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
So will the diabetes support groups confirm.

• Eat meals that are heart-healthy.
  
• Be physically active.
  
• Keep the blood pressure within normal limits.
  
• Control blood sugar level.
  
• Quit smoking.
  

Follow these simple rules and one may just prevent a heart attack.
Remember that there are diabetics out there who have prevented this complication because they have been compliant with the things to do.
With determination and diabetes support groups, anyone can do it.