Diabetes
and Heart Disease
Heart disease
is another of the complications that may affect diabetics
as their condition progresses.
How
diabetes affects your heart and blood vessels
?
Diabetes
can damage your blood vessels, including the arteries
that supply blood to your brain and heart. This damage
makes it easier for fatty deposits (plaques) to form
in the arteries. The buildup of arterial plaques,
a condition called atherosclerosis, can choke off
blood supply and drive up your blood pressure.
How
are heart disease and diabetes linked?
People
suffering from type 1 and type 2 diabetes are more
likely to be at risk from heart attacks, strokes and
high blood pressure. Vascular problems, such as poor
circulation to the legs and feet, are also more likely
to affect diabetes patients. Like diabetes itself,
the symptoms of cardiovascular disease may go undetected
for years.
Who
does heart disease affect?
Many people
think that heart disease only affects the middle-aged
and elderly. However, serious cardiovascular disease
may develop in diabetics before the age of 30. Both
type 1 and type 2 diabetics are at greater risk of
developing heart disease.
What
is the cause of heart disease amongst diabetics?
Diabetes
can change the makeup of blood vessels, and this can
lead to cardiovascular disease. The lining of the
blood vessels may become thicker, and this in turn
can impair blood flow. Heart problems and the possibility
of stroke can occur.
What
is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic
syndrome occurs when a group of metabolic risk factors
are present in one person. People who suffer from
metabolic syndrome are also at an increased risk of
coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Abnormal
abdominal fat tissue
Blood fat disorders and plaque build-up in artery
walls
Insulin resistance or intolerance to glucose
High levels of fibrinogen or plasminogen activator
inhibitor
Elevated blood pressure
Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in the
blood
Metabolic
syndrome is incredibly common in the United States,
and is increasing throughout the world.
What
symptoms can identify heart disease?
Commonly,
the following are common symptoms of heart disease,
although this may vary from individual to individual.
Pain in
the chest
Short of breath
Irregular heartbeat
Swelling of ankles
How
can I prevent and treat heart disease?
To prevent
heart disease, a number of factors must be considered.
It is imperative to control your weight, through regular
exercise and a balanced diet. Do not smoke, and limit
the amount of alcohol that you drink. Consult a physician
and base your prevention plan on their advice.
To assess your risk, it is necessary to take an EKG
(electrocardiogram). Furthermore, if you are concerned
you should have cholesterol and blood pressure check-ups,
as well as pulse measurement.
Controlling your blood sugar levels is also essential
in both treatment and prevention.
How
to minimize your risk of cardiovascular disease
?
The statistics
may sound alarming, but you're not destined to face
a heart attack or stroke. With the help of your health
care team, you can take key actions to help lower
your risk.
Manage
your blood sugar
Keeping your blood sugar levels within optimal ranges
can prevent or delay blood vessel damage. The best
way to assess your blood sugar level over time is
the hemoglobin A1C test. It reflects your average
blood sugar control over the last three months.
Your goal:
A hemoglobin A1C level of less than seven. If yours
is seven or higher, your doctor will need to adjust
your diabetes treatment.
Keep
your blood pressure in check
High blood pressure (hypertension) can lead to a variety
of cardiovascular complications for anyone, not just
people with diabetes. But when you have diabetes,
it can increase the severity of those complications
and hasten their development. And about 73 percent
of adults with diabetes have high blood pressure.
Your goal:
A blood pressure lower than 130/80 millimeters of
mercury. If your blood pressure is higher, your doctor
will likely prescribe medication to bring it down.
Keep
blood vessels open by controlling cholesterol and
triglycerides
Unhealthy levels of blood fats — cholesterol
and triglycerides — can also cause cardiovascular
disease in anyone, with diabetes or without. But like
high blood pressure, the damage is usually worse and
more rapid when you have diabetes.
People
with diabetes most commonly have elevated triglycerides
and a decreased level of high-density lipoprotein
(HDL) cholesterol — the "good" cholesterol.
In addition, in people with diabetes, particles of
low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol —
the "bad" cholesterol — are usually smaller
and denser, making them more likely to block blood
vessels.
Your targets:
LDL below 100 — perhaps as low as 70 if you
have other heart disease risk factors and take cholesterol-lowering
medication; HDL above 50 for women and above 40 for
men; triglycerides below 150.
Lifestyle
changes and medication can help lower your risk factors
Blood sugar, blood pressure and blood fats aren't
the only things that can lead to cardiovascular disease.
Lifestyle factors can also add to your risk. Choices
that will help you manage your diabetes and lower
your heart disease risk include:
- Eating
healthier
- Getting
and staying active
- Using
alcohol only moderately
- Stopping
the use of tobacco products
- Reaching
or maintaining a healthy weight
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