CVD Risk Begins as Early as Adolescence for Girls with Type 1

Women with type 1 diabetes are at four times greater risk for CVD than those who don’t have diabetes, and pre-menopausal women with diabetes do not seem to have the beneficial effects on heart disease risk factors that other pre-menopausal women do….

But how early in life do these risks begin? This study found significant differences in CVD risks between girls with type 1 diabetes and those who did not have diabetes, as early as adolescence.

By contrast, boys with type 1 had no greater CVD risk factors than boys who did not have diabetes, though researchers are still investigating why. The risk factors most prevalent in adolescent girls were an elevated level of c-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, and high cholesterol. This lead the researchers to suggest that adolescence may be a critical period to begin CVD prevention efforts for girls with type 1, such as maintaining a healthy diet, getting adequate physical activity and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

ADA Scientific Sessions (267-OR) June 27, 2011