After he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2013, Tom Hanks, now 62, admitted: "I was a total idiot. I thought I could avoid it by removing the buns from my cheeseburgers."

But he learned his lesson and changed his ways. "Yep, I have #2 diabetes," he tweeted. "Type 2, I can manage with good habits. I shall!" 

For some reason, that determination to reclaim good health after a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis seems to elude most people. According to a new scientific statement published in the journal Circulation, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability among people with Type 2 diabetes, yet only 20% of people with the condition follow heart-protective practices.

Smoking, high blood pressure, elevated glucose, high LDL cholesterol, and overweightness/obesity are major factors that make heart disease such a huge problem for people with diabetes.

An expert panel says addressing those modifiable conditions can effectively slash CVD risks. They also stress that newer Type 2 diabetes medications — such as GLP-1 receptor agonists — reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease by stimulating release of insulin or decreasing insulin resistance.

In addition, new and highly effective SGLT-2 inhibitors reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease by spurring the kidneys to dispose of excess glucose through the urine.

Work with your diabetes doctor to establish a lifestyle modification plan, and ask about the new medications that are available.

With these tools at your disposal, you can dramatically reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.