|  | Conditions Treatments | Diseases

Introduction to Diabetes & Coronary Heart Disease

Many secondary diseases result from diabetes and one of the most serious is heart disease. If you have diabetes, you are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack than a person who does not. There are several factors that contribute to the development of coronary heart disease in diabetics and it's important to understand them in order to mitigate them.

  1. Glucose Levels and Fatty Deposits

    • People with diabetes have trouble controlling their blood sugar, and high glucose levels over time leave fatty deposits in the arteries that build up. If left unchecked, the fatty deposits can accumulate and restrict blood flow in your arteries or clog them completely, leading to the development of heart disease and the risk of a heart attack. So keeping your blood glucose levels in check is important.

    High Blood Pressure

    • If you have diabetes, there's a good chance that you have high blood pressure. High blood pressure forces the heart to work harder to pump blood and puts stress on artery walls. Over time, it can damage the heart and artery walls, and leave you more vulnerable to a heart attack or stroke so it's important to keep your blood pressure under control.

    Central Obesity

    • If you have diabetes and are overweight, your excess weight can contribute to the development of heart disease. The risk is particularly high if you have central obesity, which is defined as a man with a waist measuring more than 40 inches or a woman with a waist that measures more than 35 inches, according to Nartional Diabtes Information Clearinghouse. If you have central obesity, you have a type of abdominal fat that produces excessive amounts of bad cholesterol, which builds up in arteries and leads to heart disease.

    Mini-Strokes

    • As a diabetic, you have an increased risk of suffering transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), also known as mini-strokes. Signs of mini-strokes include sudden weakness, double vision, blindness in one or both eyes and severe headache. It's important to get prompt treatment for TIAs because leaving them untreated can increase the risk of developing heart disease.

    Preventive Measures

    • The best thing you can do to prevent heart disease is to live a healthy life and control your blood sugar levels. You should eat healthy foods that are low in fat and cholesterol and follow and exercise regime to keep your weight down. It's also important to avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. And it's important to take medications to control problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. You can't get rid of diabetes but you can control it and limit the damage it can inflict.

Diseases - Related Articles