Hospital expert: Diabetes drives up risk of heart attack and stroke

Posted 12/7/16

In recent years, the American Heart Association has identified diabetes as one of the seven major, and controllable, risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Adults with diabetes are about 50 percent …

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Hospital expert: Diabetes drives up risk of heart attack and stroke

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In recent years, the American Heart Association has identified diabetes as one of the seven major, and controllable, risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Adults with diabetes are about 50 percent more likely to die of the effects of a heart attack than adults without diabetes, according to a study of 700,000 people over 10 years by the University of Leeds.

“We’ve made significant advances in the treatment of heart disease over the past two decades,” says Claresa Levetan, MD, Endocrinologist, Chestnut Hill Hospital. “In general, your chances of surviving a heart attack or stroke today are far greater than ever before, but for those with diabetes, the improvements in survival rates are less than half that of the general population.”

Diabetes by itself is now regarded by many clinicians as the strongest risk factor for heart disease. If you have diabetes, it’s not enough to control your blood sugar levels. The blood vessels in patients with diabetes are more susceptible to high cholesterol and high blood pressure, due to higher glucose levels than a person without diabetes.  More than 90% of patients with diabetes have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  If you add in smoking and/or obesity, additional risk factors for vascular disease, the scales tip even more toward having a heart attack or stroke.

The good news is, the guidelines to prevent heart disease and diabetes are very similar.

• Keep your blood glucose in healthy range – fasting blood sugar should be consistently under 100.  If you don’t know your A1C levels, ask.  The A1C is a measure of your blood glucose levels over the previous three months.

• Get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, at least five days per week.

• Eat a balanced diet of whole, unprocessed foods – focusing on a variety of high quality fruits and vegetables.

• Keep blood pressure below 140/80– especially if you have diabetes.

• Keep cholesterol and triglycerides in normal range, with a focus on ‘Lousy cholesterol’ (LDL). LDL should be no higher than 100 mg/dl in adults with diabetes.

• Keep your weight and BMI in normal range. The healthiest range for Body Mass Index is 19-25.

• If you smoke, get the help you need to STOP.

“There are plenty of physical and clinical factors that we can’t control, but type 2 diabetes just isn’t one of them,” said Dr. Levetan. “The best way to prevent or delay death from heart disease is simply to prevent diabetes itself. Get with your doctor, get a plan and stick to it. You may add an additional 20 or even 30 years to your life.”

For more information about preventing or managing diabetes or heart disease, schedule an appointment with a physician who can help you create, and stick to, a plan. Contact 215-753-2000 for referrals to primary care physicians, cardiologists and more.

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