Diabetes

Diabetes and heart disease often have a close association. If you have diabetes, you’re twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke than someone who doesn’t have diabetes—and at a younger age. While all people with diabetes have an increased chance of developing heart disease, the condition is more common in those with type 2 diabetes.

How Does Diabetes Affects Your Heart?

High blood sugar can damage blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart. Over time, this damage can lead to heart disease. The following are some additional factors that can increase your risk of heart disease if you have diabetes.

• High Blood Pressure. High blood pressure is one of the most common risk factors for heart disease among people with diabetes. It places strain on your heart and damages your blood vessels, making you more susceptible to a variety of complications, such as heart attack, stroke, kidney problems and vision issues.
• High Cholesterol. Too much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in your bloodstream can form plaque on damaged artery wall
• High triglycerides (a type of fat in your blood) and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol or high LDL cholesterol is thought to contribute to hardening of the arteries.
• High LP(a) – or ‘LP little a’ is a special type of LDL that makes you even more likely to develop plaques

These factors can also raise your risk for heart disease:

• Smoking
• Being overweight or being obese
• Not getting enough physical activity
• Eating a diet high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium (salt)
• Drinking too much alcohol

People with diabetes are also more likely to have heart failure. Heart failure — sometimes known as congestive heart failure — occurs when the heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should. This can lead to swelling in your legs and fluid building up in your lungs, making it hard to breathe.

Management/Prevention

You can lower your risk for heart disease and improve your heart health by changing certain lifestyle habits. Those changes will help you manage diabetes better too. Suggestions include:

• Regular checkups to keep track of your heart health.
• Follow a healthy diet. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains. Avoid or limit processed foods.
• Drink more water, fewer sugary drinks, and less alcohol.
• Aim for a healthy weight. If you’re overweight, losing even a modest amount of weight can lower your triglycerides and blood sugar.
• Be active. Physical activity helps control blood sugar levels and lowers your risk of heart disease.
• Stop smoking
• Manage stress
• Manage blood pressure
• Manage cholesterol levels

Your doctor may also prescribe medicines that can help keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides close to your target levels.