- With Mayo Clinic endocrinologist
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
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Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell is board certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. She is a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic and an assistant professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
The Aibonito, Puerto Rico, native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1994.
She is a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Endocrinology, the American Diabetes Association and The Endocrine Society.
Dr. Collazo-Clavell is medical editor for the Web site's diabetes content and the book "Mayo Clinic on Managing Diabetes." Her clinical interests include management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity and nutritional disorders.
Risk factors (1)
- Diabetes: Does alcohol and tobacco use increase my risk?
Symptoms (1)
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Causes (1)
- Diabetes and depression: What's the link?
Complications (2)
- Diabetes: How does it affect my liver?
- Blood sugar and mood: Any connection?
Treatments and drugs (2)
- Diabetes management: Does aspirin therapy prevent heart problems?
- Byetta: Can diabetes drug also help me lose weight?
Lifestyle and home remedies (11)
- Vegetarian diet: Can it help me control my diabetes?
- Diabetes: Are electric blankets off-limits?
- Caffeine: Does it affect blood sugar?
- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine (1)
- Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
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Question
Diabetes management: Does aspirin therapy prevent heart problems?
I've heard that aspirin therapy may not help prevent heart problems when you have diabetes and peripheral artery disease. Should I keep taking it?
Answer
from Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
If you have diabetes, you're at higher risk of heart attack and clot-related stroke (cardiovascular events). Perhipheral artery disease — a condition in which your arteries narrow, reducing blood flow to your arms and legs — also increases your risk of cardiovascular events.
Aspirin interferes with your blood's ability to clot. Because you're at increased risk of cardiovascular events if you have diabetes, daily aspirin therapy is typically recommended as part of a diabetes management plan. Research has shown that aspirin therapy is effective at reducing the risk of heart attack and clot-related strokes if you've had a previous cardiovascular event. It also appears to reduce these risks if you're experiencing symptoms of peripheral artery disease — such as leg cramping, numbness or weakness.
What's not clear is whether aspirin lowers the risk of a cardiovascular event if you haven't experienced one before and you aren't experiencing symptoms of peripheral artery disease. More study is needed on the potential benefits of aspirin therapy in these groups of people. Aspirin therapy does have potential side effects, such as bleeding and bleeding stroke (hemorrhagic stroke). If you have diabetes, peripheral artery disease or both, ask your doctor about daily aspirin therapy, including which strength of aspirin would be best.
Next questionByetta: Can diabetes drug also help me lose weight?
- Belch J, et al. The prevention of progression of arterial disease and diabetes (POPADAD) trial: Factorial randomised placebo controlled trial of aspirin and antioxidants in patients with diabetes and asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease. British Medical Journal. 2008;337:a1840.
- Collazo-Clavell ML (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec.25, 2008.
