Two essential parts of our health that often go hand in hand are diabetes and heart health. Diabetes is when your blood sugar levels are too high, and heart health, which means the overall health of your heart and circulatory system, are closely connected in ways that might not be clear at first glance. In the case of diabetes insipidus VS SIADH, the impact of Diabetes on the heart is high. This blog post will discuss the complicated link between diabetes and heart health. We will also discuss what you can do to keep your heart healthy even if you have diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes comes in two primary forms: type 1 and type 2. The body’s ability to regulate blood sugar is impaired in both cases. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leading to a lifelong need for insulin therapy. Type 2 diabetes is often associated with lifestyle factors like poor diet, lack of exercise, and obesity. It occurs when the body becomes insulin resistant, or the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
What is Heart disease?
Different types of heart problems are called heart disease. Like “heart disease,” “cardiovascular disease” refers to all kinds of heart disease, stroke, and blood vessel disease. Coronary artery disease is the most common type. It makes it hard for blood to get to the heart.
The coronary arteries bring oxygen and blood to the heart. Coronary artery disease happens when plaque builds up on the walls of these arteries. It comprises cholesterol crystals that narrow the inside of arteries and slow down blood flow. Atherosclerosis, which means “hardening of the arteries,” is the name for this process. A heart attack can happen when the heart doesn’t get enough blood. A stroke can occur when the brain doesn’t get enough blood.
Atherosclerosis can happen in more than one place in the body. It’s known as peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the feet and legs. PAD is often the first sign that someone with diabetes has heart disease.
How Does Diabetes Cause Heart Disease?
When someone has diabetes, their blood sugar levels are too high. This may damage their blood vessels and the muscles that control them over time.
Sugar is usually used as a source of energy by body cells. The liver stores it as glycogen.
Some people with diabetes can have sugar stay in their system for a long time. This can cause damage to their blood vessels and the nerves that control them.
If a coronary artery is blocked, blood flow to your heart may be slowed down or stopped. Heart disease is more likely to happen if you have diabetes for a long time.
Keeping an eye on your blood sugar is crucial to handling diabetes correctly. As your doctor directs, use a self-monitoring gadget to check your levels.
Please record your levels and bring it to your next doctor’s meeting so you and your doctor can review it together.
Here are some things that can make you more likely to get heart disease if you have diabetes.
High Blood pressure
People with diabetes are more likely to get heart disease with high blood pressure.
Putting stress on your heart and blood vessels hurts them. This makes you more likely to have several problems, such as
- Stroke heart attack
- Having kidney problems
- Trouble seeing
It’s at least twice as likely for people with diabetes and high blood pressure to get heart disease as it is for people without diabetes.
The easiest way to control your blood pressure is to eat well, work out daily, and, if necessary, take your medicine as your doctor tells you to.
Having a high cholesterol
People with diabetes often don’t control their blood fat levels like cholesterol and triglycerides. They can also make you more likely to get heart problems.
Plaque made of fat may form in your blood vessels if you have too much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and not enough HDL (“good” cholesterol). This can block your arteries, which can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Genes often cause heart disease and high cholesterol, but you can still control and lower your levels by living a healthy life and working out regularly.
- Being overweight
- Diabetes makes people more likely to be overweight or obese. Both of these things make you more likely to get heart disease.
Being overweight or obese has a significant effect on
- amounts of cholesterol
- blood sugar
- blood pressure
- Heart disease risk can go down if you lose weight
A healthy eating plan made with the help of a professional chef or nutritionist is one of the best ways to keep your weight in check. Regular exercise is also an excellent way to keep your weight in check.
Lifestyle of sitting around all-day
An idle lifestyle, high blood pressure, and being overweight can make you much more likely to get heart disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that every adult should do physical exercise for at least two hours and thirty minutes each week.
Some examples are
- Walking
- Riding
- Dancing
The CDC also says you should do strength-training routines at least twice a week, but not on the same day.
You should talk to your doctor about which exercises might help you get in shape the most.
Using tobacco
People with diabetes who smoke have a much higher chance of getting heart disease than those who don’t.
When people smoke cigarettes or have diabetes, plaque builds up in their arteries. This makes the vessels narrow.
This could lead to many problems, from foot problems to heart attacks and strokes. Problems with the feet can even cause amputation in the worst cases.
Don’t forget that you can quit at any time. Consult your doctor about the best ways for you to stop smoking.
How to Manage and prevent this Condition?
Taking good care of diabetes is very important for keeping your heart healthy. You can do the following:
Controlling Blood Sugar: Keep an eye on your blood sugar levels while collaborating with your doctor to keep them in the right amounts.
Healthy Eating: Follow a sugar-low, well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and healthy fats. Cut down on the amount of processed foods and sugary drinks you drink.
Daily Exercise: Regular exercise can help you control your blood sugar and strengthen your heart. A mix of aerobic and strength-training routines is what you should aim for.
Medications: If your doctor tells you to, take your diabetes medicines precisely as they are supposed to be taken. In addition to helping your heart stay healthy, some methods may lower your blood pressure or raise cholesterol.
Blood Pressure Control: Make sure your blood pressure stays healthy. If it stays high for a long time, talk to your doctor.
Managing cholesterol: Stick to a heart-healthy diet and take medication as directed to keep your lipid profile healthy.
Managing your weight: If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight can help you better control your blood sugar and make your heart function less hard.
Conclusion
The risk of developing heart disease increases with the presence of diabetes. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, being overweight, and other things are all risk factors for these diseases. High blood sugar that isn’t under control may harm the nerves and blood vessels that control the heart over time.
People with diabetes can significantly lower their chance of heart disease if they lose weight (if they are obese or overweight), exercise more, eat fresh, healthy foods, and take their medications as directed Consult endocrinologists near you immediately if you or your loved ones have severe symptoms.
Also Read: What Makes A Good General Practitioner?
