Apart from
high cholesterol and high blood pressure, diabetes is a major heart disease
risk factor. The risk of heart disease death and stroke is twice as high in
people with diabetes. Everyone with diabetes has an increased chance of
developing cardiovascular disease, the condition is more common in those with
type 2 diabetes though. You’d be surprised to know that heart disease is the
number one cause of death among people with Type 2 diabetes.
The higher
will be your chances that you’ll develop heart disease and even die from it,
the more health risk factors you have for the disease with people with diabetes
having an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease if they have more
health risk factors. The probability of dying from cardiovascular disease is
2-4 times higher in an individual with diabetes. As per a medical study,
individuals with diabetes who had no other health risk factors for
cardiovascular disease were five times more likely to die of the same than
those without. According to another study, people with diabetes regardless of
the number of other cardiovascular disease risk factors were as likely to have
a heart attack as someone without diabetes who has already had a heart attack.
Causes of
Heart Disease in People with Diabetes:
Hardening of
the coronary arteries or atherosclerosis (buildup of cholesterol in the blood
vessels that supply oxygen and nutrition to the ticker) is the most common
cause of cardiovascular disease in a person with diabetes. When the cholesterol
plaques break apart or rupture, the body tries to repair the plaque rupture by
sending platelets to seal it up. The platelets could block the flow of blood
because of the artery being small not allowing for oxygen delivery and a heart
attack develops. The same thing can happen in every artery in the body resulting
in lack of blood to the brain, causing a stroke or lack of blood to the feet,
hands, or arms causing peripheral vascular disease.
Apart from
heart disease, people with diabetes are also at higher risk for heart failure
(HF is a serious medical condition in which the ticker is unable to pump
adequate blood) which can lead to fluid build-up in the lungs that causes
difficulty breathing, or fluid retention in other parts of the body (especially
the legs) that causes swelling.
Heart
Attack Symptoms:
Shortness of
breath, feeling faint and dizzy, unexplained sweating and in excess, chest pain
or pressure nausea and pain in the shoulders, jaw and left arm are some of the
symptoms. These are some of the classic symptoms and not everyone has pain with
a heart attack (myocardial infarction- MI) which is especially true for women.
Call your doctor or call 911 with immediate effect if you are experiencing any
of these symptoms.
Steps to
Prevent Heart Disease in People with Diabetes:
1. Your blood sugar should be as normal
as possible.
2. Maintain healthy weight, lose weight
if you are obese.
3. Keep your blood pressure in check,
with medication if necessary, with the target for diabetics being under 130/80.
4. Regular exercise is crucial.
5. Quit smoking
6. Eat a heart-healthy diet such as the
Mediterranean diet or DASH diet.
7. Manage stress
8. Go for regular health checkups
There are
several treatment options for cardiovascular disease in those with diabetes
that depends on the severity of the disease including aspirin therapy (reduces
clot risks, formation of which can lead to heart attacks and strokes), diet,
exercise, medicines and surgery.
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