How Diabetes affects your Heart?
It might sound strange that diabetes and heart attack are related.
But yes, they are.
A person who is diabetic is also prone to problems related to the heart says the best cardiologists in Chennai from Fortis Malar Hospital Chennai.
When a person’s blood sugar is high, there is a possibility that his blood vessels get damaged.
The sugar can cause plaque to be collected on the side of blood vessels, thus narrowing the path of blood flow.
It can cause blockage of arteries and thus might also lead to a heart attack.
Apart from checking the levels of blood sugar, diabetics also need to control their blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight in order to protect their heart.
Here’s how diabetes affects the Heart:
People with diabetes are more susceptible to cardiovascular disease(CVD).
CVD includes a group of conditions like heart disease, stroke and all other diseases of the heart and the arteries.
It is caused by the collection of a fatty material, called atheroma, inside the body’s main arteries which can lead to the narrowing and blocking of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
CVD can also be caused by other conditions, which type 2 diabetic patients come across:
● Obesity: Obesity can cause fat to accumulate in the abdomen, thus increasing the production of LDL (bad) cholesterol, which could block the arteries, thus resulting in a heart attack.
● High blood pressure or hypertension: This condition can lead the heart to work hard to pump blood and thus can result in heart issues.
● Smoking: Smoking can affect your lungs and can create a low supply of oxygen to the heart.
People with diabetes are afflicted by heart disease almost twice as often as the non-diabetics.
Here are some heart problems often experienced by diabetic patients:
- Diabetic cardiomyopathy: A condition, often encountered by diabetic patients, which damages the structure and function of the heart.
It can cause the heart to fail and also arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), in people who suffer from diabetes but don’t have heart disease.
2. Silent heart attacks: High blood sugar might damage the nerves thus he or she may not notice the symptoms of a heart attack.
They may not even feel severe pain.
Prevention and Treatment:
By keeping blood sugar levels under control, diabetic patients might reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Taking proper medications, eating healthy food, exercising regularly will help keep the sugar levels within the recommended range.
Look for any symptoms of a heart attack or any heart disorder. If you detect any issue, consult your doctor.
In case of any heart problem, consult a cardiologist. Some of the cardiologists in Chennai, specialise in treating heart patients.
You can also look for the heart specialist in Chennai. As mentioned above, one disease might be an invitation to another.
Diabetic patients need to maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent any further problems.
Type 2 diabetes victims are more susceptible to diseases, like heart strokes.
The treatment of diabetic patients is much harder than any other patient. Hence, taking good care is very vital to them.
