Diabetes Drives Up Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

2/25/2021

In recent years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified diabetes as one of the major, and controllable, risk factors for cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association, since diabetes causes sugar to build up in the blood it can damage blood vessels that control the heart muscle.

Diabetes by itself is now regarded by many clinicians as the strongest risk factor for heart disease. But if you’re diabetic, it’s not enough to just control your blood sugar levels. The blood vessels in patients with diabetes are more susceptible to other well-established risk factors, including smoking, obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure – and more than 90% of patients with diabetes have one or more of these additional risk factors.

The good news is, the guidelines to prevent heart disease and diabetes are very similar.

• Keep your blood glucose in a healthy range – fasting blood sugar should be consistently under 100. Possibly more importantly are your A1C levels, a measure of your blood glucose levels over the previous three months.
• Get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, at least five days per week.
• Eat a balanced diet of whole, unprocessed foods – focusing on a variety of high quality fruits and vegetables.
• Keep blood pressure in a health range. Blood pressure below 120/80 is considered normal.
• Keep cholesterol and triglycerides in normal range, with a focus on ‘bad cholesterol’ (LDL). LDL should be no higher than 100 mg/dl in adults with diabetes.
• Keep your weight and BMI in normal range.
• If you smoke, STOP.

There are plenty of physical and clinical factors that can’t be controlled, but type II diabetes is just not one of them. The best way to prevent or delay death from heart disease is simply to prevent diabetes. Get with your doctor, get a plan and stick to it. You could add an additional 20 or even 30 years to your life.

For more information about preventing or managing diabetes or heart disease, schedule an appointment with a physician who can help you create, and stick to, a plan. Visit NWMedicalGroup.com to find a primary care physician or cardiologist.

Northwest Health also has a diabetes prevention program for those individuals who are at high risk of developing diabetes. To learn more call: (219) 325-7632.

This wellness information is brought to you by your friends at Northwest Health.

Back