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Why is it important for diabetic patients to receive statin therapy?

Statins are a type of medicine that bring down cholesterol levels in the blood. The American Diabetes Association, American College of Cardiology, and American Heart Association recommend that patients who have diabetes take statins to help prevent heart disease.

How should doctors help control cholesterol?

You may want to talk with your doctor about these new guidelines and what they mean for you. The doctor can help you in many ways. They can help you plan to eat food with less saturated fat and to stay physically active. And when needed, the doctor can also order medicine that lowers the level of bad cholesterol in your blood.

Talk with your doctor and health plan to find out about what other services are available. Many health plans offer additional support and resources for patients with diabetes. These additional services may be educational materials (online and in print), classes or support groups, or phone counseling.