What’s the connection between diabetes and heart disease?

Diabetes is a growing public health problem in the U.S., affecting more than 17 million Americans. That number is expected to double by 2050. As numbers continue to climb, heart disease risks also increase.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of diabetes-related death. Here are some of the reasons why:

• In diabetics, especially those with uncontrolled diabetes, the cells that regulate blood vessels’ function do not work properly.
• Constricting or expanding of the blood vessels can aggravate high blood pressure and affect blood flow.
• Increased platelet activity causes clots to form.
• Because diabetes is an inflammatory disease, veins and arteries become inflamed, causing hardening of the arteries.
• Most complications of diabetes improve with better blood sugar control.

People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease due to a variety of risk factors, including:

• High blood pressure. Research shows a link between high blood pressure and insulin resistance. When a person has both high blood pressure and diabetes, his risk for heart disease doubles.

• Lipid disorders. Having high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, high tryiglycerides or low HDL (“good”) cholesterol increases a diabetic’s risk for heart disease.

• Smoking. Smoking damages the heart in a number of ways, including reducing the amount of oxygen in the blood; promoting plaque buildup in the arteries; and making blood clots more likely to occur. While smoking is harmful to anyone’s health, it’s particularly dangerous to diabetics because they are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke.

• Obesity. Being severely overweight is a major risk factor for diabetes and has been strongly linked to heart disease. Weight loss has been shown to improve cardiovascular risk, decrease insulin concentration and increase insulin sensitivity.

• Lack of physical activity. Physical inactivity is another modifiable major risk factor for insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. Exercising and losing weight have been shown to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes, reduce blood pressure and help to reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke. Exercise also decreases insulin resistance. Any physical activity—whether sports, household work or work-related physical activity—is beneficial.

To lower heart disease risk, diabetics should properly manage their health. By controlling blood sugar levels, heart disease risks are kept in check. If you’ve not been diagnosed with diabetes, take a proactive approach to your health and adopt a healthy lifestyle now.

With some life changes, diabetes can be prevented. To reduce the risk of developing diabetes and its complications of heart disease, stroke and blindness, follow these tips:

• Lose weight. Losing just 5 to 7 percent of your weight may help ward off the disease.

• Go for a walk. Walking 30 minutes a day can help. So can other regular exercise, such as dancing, swimming or biking.

• Watch what you eat. If you have trouble keeping your weight under control, try keeping a daily food journal.

• Keep regular doctor’s appointments. Your physician can help monitor your blood sugar and A1C levels, which indicate average blood sugar levels for the past three months.

How can I learn more?
To learn more about the risk factors, symptoms and treatment for heart disease, visit westernbaptist.com/heart. You can take a free, five-minute online heart risk survey and become eligible for reduced-cost cardiac screenings at Baptist Prime Care. You also may phone Baptist Health Line at (270) 575-2918.

Do you have a cardiac question tugging at your heart? Send it to heartbeat@bhsi.com or mail it to HeartBeat, 2501 Kentucky Ave., Paducah, KY  42003. If we use it in a future HeartBeat column, you will win a Baptist Heart Center T-shirt.