Host: Why is it important not to smoke?

Kathy Reily: Not smoking is very important if you have diabetes because it is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke and we already know that people with diabetes have an increased risk for having heart attack and stroke. So, changing the lifestyle with regard to smoking is extremely important. It is one of the first things that we recommend somebody change when they are diagnosed with diabetes and either use some type of behavior modification method, some people may try medication but it is very, very important to keep the cardiac risk factors down.