Diabetes and Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) impart the same high risk as having heart disease. Having both diabetes and heart disease more than doubles the risk.

Because most patients with diabetes do not have any symptoms, they are unaware that their risk of having a heart attack is the same as someone who already had a heart attack - so called CHD risk equivalent.

The result of the above study changed the way patients with diabetes are managed. The 7 year risk of having a heart attack was lowest at 3.5% for those without diabetes and without heart disease; and highest at 45% for those with both diabetes and heart disease.

The surprising result was the risk was nearly the same for those with diabetes but without heart disease at 20.2% and those with established heart disease but without diabetes at 18.8%.

PAD - peripheral arterial disease or reduced arterial circulation in the legs carries a serious risk for heart attack and death. 10 year survival rate for those with severe symptoms was only 25%.