How does diabetes affect heart health?
People with diabetes have too much sugar in their blood. High blood sugar can damage the blood vessels that feed the heart and the nerves that control it.
People with diabetes also have an increased risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Both conditions increase your risk of heart disease. Diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol are all aspects of metabolic syndrome and occur together because they share similar risk factors and common causes. Diabetes also damages the cardiovascular system in many ways and raises cholesterol.
Increased cholesterol can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Cholesterol is a type of fat found in blood vessels. Cholesterol can form plaque on damaged artery walls and cause atherosclerosis.
People with diabetes, especially those with uncontrolled diabetes, are also more likely to develop heart failure.
When you have heart failure, your heart is unable to pump blood properly. This can cause your feet to swell. It can also cause fluid to build up in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.
Heart failure can worsen over time. Early detection and treatment can reduce symptoms and stop or slow their worsening.
How can diabetics minimize the effects on the heart?
First, it is important to detect diabetes early. Lifestyle changes and medications can help control blood sugar levels.
Your doctor can also help you manage risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Can the damage caused by diabetes be corrected or reversed?
By controlling blood sugar levels, you can stop harmful changes. Some new diabetes drugs can partially reverse heart damage caused by diabetes and improve heart health.
What lifestyle changes can help with diabetes and heart health?
Simple lifestyle changes that protect your heart can also help with diabetes. It is important that:
- eat healthy food
- regular exercise
- maintain a healthy weight
- control stress
- I don’t smoke
- take medicine as prescribed
For more information about heart health and heart care, visit Kaiser Permanente.
