A new study by Mercy Medical Center physician Dr. Ernestine Wright has found that older women are at an increased risk of developing diabetes, but this study could help predict who will develop the disease. The study followed individuals for 12 years before they actually developed diabetes mellitus and found that women with diabetes have a three to four times higher risk of heart disease when compared to women without diabetes. If doctors identify patients who are more likely to develop diabetes, intervention could begin earlier.