It should also be noted that small or low amounts of alcohol consumption have been associated in several large clinical trials with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. This positive effect of alcohol has been studied primarily in heart disease but many investigators also believe that the same protective effects that occur with low intake of alcohol will reduce the probability of strokes due to plaque in the artery. In other words, patients who use alcohol in moderation may reduce the likelihood of developing plaque in the cartoroid arteries. This fact is generally true for the association between diabetes and cardiovascular disease in general. Diabetes has several independent effects, which combine to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Diabetics handle fats or lipids in the blood differently than non-diabetics.
In addition, diabetics have damage to small blood vessels throughout the body including small blood vessels in the brain, which can lead to strokes that originate in the blood vessels in the brain. Therefore, all diabetics are advised to see a physician regularly and control their blood sugar to reduce the risks of all cardiovascular disease including strokes. There is a significant range of risk of stroke based on nationality, and Americans are in the middle. Over the past 20 years, there has been an approximate 30 percent reduction in the risk of stroke in Americans. Although the explanation for this reduction is not agreed upon, it is likely that the reduction is due to better control of high blood pressure, which occurs in approximately one third of Americans.