People who are diagnosed with diabetes are more likely to develop cardiovascular complications and are threatened with a higher chance of a heart attack. They are also more likely to have certain indispositions such as elevated levels of cholesterol or high blood pressure that intensify the chances of encountering heart disease or stroke.
According to the research of the American Diabetes Association, people diagnosed with diabetes are two to four times more susceptible to suffer from heart disorders or stroke which can eventually be the reason behind their death rather than people who don’t suffer from diabetes. If you can control your blood glucose level also known as blood sugar level along with maintaining normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels then you can surely enjoy a healthy body and heart despite having diabetes.
Statistics Regarding The Relationship Between Diabetes And Heart Disease
The American Heart Association observes diabetes to be one of the seven crucial controllable threat determinants for cardiovascular conditions. It is estimated that almost 68% of people belonging to the age group of 65 or above die from some sort of heart ailments such as stroke. The above details verify the fact that there is a profound correspondence between cardiovascular illnesses and diabetes.
Diabetes And Heart DiseaseWhy do Diabetes Cause Heart Disease and Stroke?
People with diabetes are more inclined to acquire numerous heart ailments at a very early age than those who don’t have any diabetic conditions. Although diabetes can be cured if diagnosed at the right time by regulating one’s glucose level in the blood with proper medications.
However, this doubles the chance of heart diseases and stroke primarily because over a period of time high blood glucose level occurring from type 2 diabetes can severely impair blood vessels like the arteries and capillaries which controls those vessels accountable for the flow of blood inside the heart. The subsequent points explain specific infirmities that people with type 2 diabetes commonly experience from and how it contributes to the prospect of developing cardiovascular diseases:
Smoking
Smoking heightens the risk of developing heart diseases in any individual at an exponential rate irrespective of the fact whether they suffer from diabetes or not. Diabetes as well as smoking makes our blood vessels narrower.
Hypertension
Hypertension or alternatively known as high blood pressure has been a significant risk factor for amplifying cardiovascular diseases for quite some time now. It has been observed that there is an intrinsic link between high blood pressure and the level of insulin resistance of the body.
What happens to your heart when you have high blood pressure? This particular condition can wrench your heart consequently leading to the collapse of the blood vessels which ultimately results in an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney, and eye issues.
Irregular Cholesterol Level
Cholesterol is a kind of fat detected in the blood which is generated by our liver. Another kind of cholesterol distinguished as dietary cholesterol is obtained from various foods coming from animal sources such as meat, poultry, etc. In terms of effectiveness, there are two kinds of cholesterol that are present in our blood. These are LDL or bad cholesterol and HDL or good cholesterol. Any individual suffering from diabetes usually has a high level of LDL along with an increased level of triglycerides and a low level of HDL.
An unrestrained quantity of the LDL and restrained growth of HDL in our body increases the risk of High Blood Cholesterol or Hypercholesterolemia which is the presence of certain bad fats or lipids in our body in a higher quantity. If this infirmity is not cured then this can lead to the accumulation of plaque in the blood vessel known as Atherosclerosis.
The accumulation of plaque inside the blood vessel substantially raises the risk of stroke, heart attack, and peripheral artery diseases as it clogs the blood vessels. Irregular levels of cholesterol in the blood are also symptoms of a lipid dysfunction correlated with diabetic dyslipidemia found in the patients suffering from diabetes.
Obesity
Obesity has been heavily linked with insulin resistance and one of the most critical factors that can make one at the receiving end of the danger of cardiovascular diseases. A healthy nutritious diet with low-calorie food is effective in reducing your blood glucose level. Obesity and insulin resistance are also linked with various other ailments such as hypertension.
Absence of Proper Exercise
Absence of proper bodily exercise is another principal factor for the development of cardiovascular disorders. Weight loss, maintaining proper food intake and physical activities can reduce the level of insulin concentration and improve insulin sensitivity which eventually lessens the risks of cardiovascular illnesses. It has been discerned that following a proper physical exercise can inhibit or limit the risks of a heart attack.
How does Diabetes Cause Heart Disease?
According to a study two-thirds of the people suffering from diabetes eventually die of cardiovascular diseases since diabetes significantly heightens the risks of several cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. According to Dr. Benjamin Scirica, a cardiologist at Havard affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, diabetes can wreak harm in our heart in various perilous ways. Diabetes leads to chronic inflammation and inflates the level of blood sugar to a great extent.
These ailments weaken the walls of arteries that conclusively make them more prone to atherosclerosis. The increase in the level of blood glucose prohibits the arteries from expanding further because it stiffens them and prompts blood platelets to grow more glutinous to form blood coagulation inside the arteries. A person belonging from a family with a history of heart complications has a higher chance of acquiring cardiovascular diseases.
How Can You Manage Diabetes to Lower Down The Risks Of Heart Attack?
Regular checking of the cardiac risk factors in people suffering from diabetes can be beneficial in lessening the risk of a heart attack.
Diabetes Cause Heart DiseaseIf you are suffering from diabetes then by managing your risk factors you can evade or limit the spread of cardiovascular ailments.
Certain steps such as keeping a constant check on your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol level and educating oneself with one’s ideal level of these, quitting smoking, following healthy lifestyle habits such as getting enough rest, eating healthy, exercising regularly, taking proper medication and expert advice and lowering the stress level can lower down the risks of heart attack even if you suffer from diabetes.
Also read; 10 Cardiologist Approved Diet Tips For A Healthy Heart
