Diabetes and Heart Disease

It’s no surprise that having diabetes can cause a dramatic change in your life. Between adjusting diet habits, exercise routines and medications, your life is composed of a lot of new checklists. The good news is that, if handled correctly, diabetes is a manageable condition.

If things become unbalanced though, there can be some serious side effects. Adults with diabetes are at a higher risk of complications from stroke, heart failure and heart attacks. According to the American Heart Association, adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease, and at least 65 percent die from some form of heart disease or stroke.

Reasons they’re connected

It might seem strange that a condition related to blood sugar levels could lead to heart failure, heart disease or stroke. Diabetes affects insulin levels and can also cause damage to your blood vessels and arteries, making it much easier for fat to deposit and for the arteries to clog up. The results are hardened arteries (atherosclerosis), restricted blood supply and elevated blood pressure.

Conditions that can occur

Since arteries carry blood, oxygen and nutrition to your heart, having them damaged or hardened only raises your chances for developing heart disease.

Common results of heart disease include:

• Heart attack. Initiated by a cholesterol buildup that ruptures, such attacks happen when your blood starts to clot or blood vessels become blocked. Heart attacks are serious and can lead to death or severe debilitation.
• Heart failure. Though the name seems to indicate something immediate and deadly, heart failure is a little different. When your heart is not able to pump blood as well as it should, then you have heart failure. It can result in a fluid buildup in the lungs or other parts of the body, causing extreme swelling.

Methods of prevention

While heart disease can certainly develop due to diabetes, it’s not guaranteed. In fact, there are things you can do to help prevent the occurrence of heart failure or even a heart attack.

Sometimes it’s as easy as adding a 10-minute walk to your day or as difficult as changing your entire diet. Whatever the situation, it’s important to understand the significant benefits of adopting a lifestyle that wards off heart disease. Try following these helpful tips:

• Closely monitor your blood sugar levels in order to keep them stable.
• Maintain a good blood pressure so as not to overexert your heart.
• Stick to balanced meals that meet your specific dietary needs.
• Get regular exercise so that you can stay at a healthy weight.
• Limit your cholesterol intake in order to have proper cholesterol levels.
• Try to reduce your use of alcohol and tobacco products.

Has it been a while since your last check-up, or do you need a new physician? Call us at 317.565.0535 to request an appointment.

Sources: Diabetes.org, Heart.org