Heart Disease and Diabetes – Is there a Correlation?

Posted by: Tampa Cardio

On: December 14, 2020

Diabetes Patient Make Insulin Shot By Syringe. Woman Use Insulin

It isn’t often people think of diabetes and heart disease being connected. They are considered two very different illnesses. The fact is that they do have a link to one another.

Approximately 65% of those who have type 2 diabetes will ultimately have their cause of death be some form of heart disease or stroke. This is because those who have diabetes are 4x as likely to develop heart disease. It is because of this that the American Heart Association has classified type 2 diabetes as one of only 7 primary risks that are controllable which lead to cardiovascular disease.

How are diabetes and heart disease related?

The answer lies not diabetes itself, but in the conditions associated which arise as a result. It has been estimated that nearly 30 million Americans are living with type 2 diabetes, and many of those that are affected also experience elevated cholesterol levels, hypertension, and out of acceptable range blood sugar levels.

Even treated, with diabetic glucose levels under control, patients with related conditions are still at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Diabetes and high blood pressure are closely related conditions, and patients who have both are at more than double the risk for heart disease. Patients with diabetes also tend to experience abnormal cholesterol levels, usually some combination of high “bad” cholesterol types and low “good” cholesterol types. Both high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels are associated with insulin resistance, which occurs when the body produces insulin but does not use it effectively, causing glucose to build up in the patient’s blood instead of being distributed to and absorbed by the body’s cells.

Diabetes is very treatable and can often be addressed with lifestyle and diet changes. Though not completely reversible, many patients are able to experience a remission from the condition and find that addressing diabetes and its related conditions can be extremely beneficial towards one’s overall health, well-being, and lifespan.

Please contact Tampa Cardiovascular Associates today by visiting their site at www.tampacardio.com to learn how nutrition and lifestyle can address type 2 diabetes head-on, and if you are predisposed to diabetes or have insulin resistance, you can learn how to delay and possibly prevent these conditions from ever developing into the more serious conditions of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Give us a call to schedule your consultation and ensure your health for years to come. 813-975-2800.

 

Posted by: Tampa Cardio

On: 14/12/2020

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