Doctor measuring arterial blood pressure on Joslin patient.

Preventing Heart Disease

Patients with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease. That’s why we work hard to help our patients lower their risk for developing heart disease and stroke. And, the good news is that lifestyle changes and the right medication can help put them back on track.

Joslin Diabetes Center’s Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Clinic is completely focused on helping patients improve their heart and vascular health. Our team includes two diabetologists that specialize in lipid management and other cardiovascular risk factors. We also partner with nurse educators and dietitians to help patients change their diet and make other life changes.

During a typical visit to our clinic, our team will help you identify factors that can put you at risk for developing heart disease. We’ll conduct a health assessment and make a plan to reduce your risk. Usually our recommendation involves a combination of lifestyle changes and medications to protect your heart.

The first step in reducing the risk of heart disease is taking a close look at lifestyle changes. Many of our patients can greatly reduce their risk by changing their diet and starting a regular exercise program. To help, we partner with dietitians and exercise physiologists to encourage realistic changes. We understand that eating and exercise patterns are difficult to break, but we’ll recommend an approach that’s doable and sets patients up for success.

The right medication and dosage can greatly lower a patient’s risk for developing heart disease. Specialists at our clinic often prescribe medications and continually monitor those medications to make sure they work well for patients. Medications might include ACE inhibitors, lipid medications, and glucose- lowering agents particularly favorable to patients with high risk of cardiovascular disease, depending on a patient’s unique condition.

Meet Our Specialists

Joanna Mitri
Joanna Mitri, MD, MS
Research Associate and Staff Physician
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
Om Ganda
Om Ganda, MD
Clinical Investigator and Senior Staff Physician
Medical Director of the Lipid Clinic
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

To make an adult care appointment, call 617-309-2400 or make an appointment online.