Thanks to mailings and websites that claim statin medications are harmful or unnecessary, many patients are confused about whether they should take them. That’s unfortunate.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- Diabetics face more than food restrictions to regulate the disease. In some cases, diabetics have increased risk of losing a toe, foot or leg. Here’s why:

"Hardening of the arteries" is a common disease that causes arteries to become clogged with plaque, much like old water pipes can become clogged with debris or lime. The condition can cause heart attacks and strokes, but another effect of cardiovascular disease is peripheral arterial disease (PAD), also called peripheral vascular disease, which affects the extremities, usually the toes, feet and legs. If you have PAD, you most likely have artery disease throughout the body.