Many people with high blood sugar levels and diagnosed diabetes keep worrying about poor heart conditions. To help you figure this out, here are the top 19 questions people often ask regarding this. Many of these questions come from the participants in the Diabetes Care Program. These could be your questions, too.
Heart health experts talk about diabetes and its heart-related complications, specially for you, in this article. So yes! You can surely go ahead and trust the info here. Together with the help of our experts on board the diabetes care program, this is unquestionably reliable, correct, and medically accurate.
Let’s find out the right answers to your questions.
- How Does Diabetes Affect the Heart?
Diabetes and heart problems are surely linked. The consistently high blood sugar levels eventually weaken, and damage your blood vessels and nerves. This happens with time. The unhealthy damaged arteries with hard walls do not supply blood properly to your heart.
- What do you say, Is cardiovascular disease the same as heart disease?
Some people think cardiovascular diseases and heart issues are the same
Scientifically, they are not.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes the heart and all the blood vessels in the body that somehow connect to the heart. So, CVD covers a vast range of problems. This includes heart disease, stroke, blood vessel diseases, etc.
Heart disease if you say, specifically pinpoints the irregularities, issues, and diseases of the heart as an organ. For example coronary artery disease (CAD), arrhythmias (irregular missing heartbeats), and other heart defects.
To understand better CVD includes heart problems, and not the other way round.
- What are the various types of heart diseases that can develop if a person has diabetes?
People with diabetes can easily develop coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. CAD is very common. The most common issue is the deposition and buildup of plaque (build-up of cholesterol) in the arteries. This will lead to heart attacks.
- What are the different types risks of heart disease in people with diabetes?
If you have diabetes, you have a higher risk of heart disease. It can be anything from heart attacks, heart failure, to problems like poor blood flow to the legs.
- Are people with diabetes likely to get a heart attack?
Yes, people with diabetes have a chance of having heart attacks. High blood sugar levels lead to plaque build-up in the arteries and blockages which result in heart attacks.
- Tell us the specific symptoms of a diabetic heart attack.
Heart attack symptoms in people with diabetes may be too simple to notice at times. Like you may just feel tired, have trouble breathing, feel uncomfortable and later on develop severe pain. Get medical help immediately without delay.
- Can diet and exercise alone manage diabetes and also reduce heart risk?
Honestly no. Eating a healthy diet, exercising, doing workouts, and staying active are important to check blood sugar levels and lower the risk of heart disease and related problems. However, you must also regularly get checkups to help resolve the issues.
These lifestyle changes do improve insulin use, help with weight management, and support overall heart health.
- What are the different lifestyle changes that can help manage both diabetes and heart disease?
Certain lifestyle changes, such as eating healthy foods with less sugar, less salt and good fats, exercising regularly, relieving stress, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol can help control diabetes and reduce the risk of heart disease.
- How can I go about strengthening my heart with an existing diabetes condition?
Here’s a nice way to do the same. Regular aerobic exercises, such as brisk walking, and a balanced diet can help keep your heart in good shape and improve your overall heart health while also helping reduce blood sugar control.
- If you control diabetes, can you lessen the risk of developing heart disease?
If you can check and control your blood sugar levels, your heart will remain healthy. Keeping diabetes under control through daily meds, lifestyle changes, and regular check-ups can significantly lower the risk of developing a heart problem. Studies have proved this connection.
- Tell us Some Tips for a Healthy Heart for Those with Diabetes:
- Keep your blood sugar levels within the range.
- Exercise daily without fail by walking, swimming, or cycling. When you miss your workouts, at least stay active
- Eat healthy foods: veggies, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins.
- Show your doctor regularly about your blood sugar status and related issues.
- If you already have high blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels, treat them alongside diabetes.
- Quit tobacco use and smoking now!
- Manage stress. A few methods are yoga, meditation, or deep breathing.
- Drink enough water every day.
- Sleep better-get a good night’s sleep.
12. Can We Reverse The Diabetes-Related Heart Issues?
Yes. Completely reversing a cardiac problem is challenging but you can control it and keep your heart healthy. The key is lifestyle modifications—eating healthy, being active, exercising, sleeping properly and busting all possible stresses.
13. What is the Diabetes and Heart Disease Connection?
Heart disease and diabetes can be linked. There are factors, like obesity and a sedentary lifestyle with no exercise that contribute to both.
14. How Often Should I Get a Screening for Heart Disease with Diabetes?
To tell you frankly, get the screening done periodically. Regular screenings (for blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) are so important. When we say regular, once-a-year screening is just fine.
15. I want to Know if My Diabetes Can Cause Heart Blockage.
Yes. Blockages in blood vessels and their related heart issues are a direct complication of diabetes. High blood sugar levels cause the deposition of cholesterol and bad fats in the arteries. This leads to poor blood supply and the formation of clots, increasing the risk of heart problems.
16. Is There Something Called a Silent Heart Attack in Diabetes:
Yes. At times, heart attacks in people with diabetes have mild or no symptoms. They are so sudden. Regular check-ups are one way of identifying these issues.
17. Want to know the Life Expectancy of Someone with Diabetes and Heart Disease:
Do not worry. You can lead a healthy and long life by managing your blood sugar levels MAke lifestyle changes—eat healthy, exercise, sleep better, take your medications on time, and regularly see the diabetologist for check-ups. You follow these and you are sorted.
18. Are there New Technologies Coming up for Diabetes and Heart Disease?
Digitisation and tech have helped control diabetes in recent times. Like we have continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) today and telehealth platforms to help monitor your overall health in real time. Digital therapeutics is another such platform for managing high blood sugar and its related issues.
19. To Discuss Some Latest Treatments for Diabetes and Heart Health:
There are some new treatment modalities that may control the heart complications of high blood sugar. For example, digital therapeutics have been useful in managing associated risks and reducing complications in diabetes and related heart issues.
