Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) are inextricably linked. If you have diabetes, you are twice as likely to develop heart disease as if you do not. The relationship will be explained in this post.
Diabetes and CAD (damage or illness in your heart’s major blood arteries) have a close association. People with type 2 diabetes die from heart disease at a rate that is 2-4 times that of people who do not have type 2 diabetes.
Furthermore, around 80% of diabetics die as a result of cardiovascular complications, primarily ischemic events such as heart attack and stroke.
This article will clarify the connection between diabetes and coronary artery disease.
Do diabetics have an increased risk of heart disease?
Yes. The major cause of death among patients with diabetes is heart disease. Adults with diabetes are roughly twice as likely as those without diabetes to have heart disease.
Furthermore, those with diabetes are more likely to develop heart disease at an earlier age than those who do not have diabetes. This is because high blood sugar levels harm blood vessels and nerves throughout the body, including the blood vessels that keep the heart healthy.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), sometimes known as heart disease, is a group of disorders characterized by the constriction or obstruction of blood vessels, which can result in stroke or heart attack.
Is there a difference in heart disease risk between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
Diabetes, or chronically elevated blood sugar levels, will endanger your heart health.
People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes have similar risk factors for heart disease.
Other risk factors for heart disease include obesity, renal illness, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, high blood pressure (hypertension), and aging.
These supplementary risk factors are more likely to affect elderly folks and type 2 diabetics than type 1 diabetics.
Is diabetes the cause of coronary artery disease?
Diabetes does not cause CAD, but it does raise your chances of having it.
The formation of fatty deposits (atheroma) on the walls of the coronary arteries, which surround your heart, causes CAD.
If you have diabetes for a long period, your blood vessels and arteries, including those around your heart, may suffer damage (atherosclerosis) and constriction. This can raise your risk of developing heart disease.
What is the connection between diabetes and clogged arteries?
Diabetes by itself will not result in blocked arteries. However, chronic high blood sugar levels, which are frequently associated with diabetes, can contribute to blocked arteries.
Excess glucose cannot enter your cells when your blood sugar is high owing to a lack of insulin in your bloodstream, so it floats around in your body.
Over time, this excess glucose can damage your blood vessels and cause artery hardening, often known as atherosclerosis.
Plaque buildup in the inner lining of your arteries causes atherosclerosis. This plaque could contain fatty deposits, cholesterol, cellular debris, calcium, and fibrin. It can be caused by chronically elevated blood sugar levels.
This is why maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is critical. Not only will this protect your blood vessels, but it will also reduce damage and hardening of your arteries, notably those around your heart.
Diabetes-related ways to avoid coronary artery disease
Even if you have diabetes, there are a few things you may do to reduce your risk of heart disease.
A1C and blood sugar levels
The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to have heart disease. This is why maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and an A1C below 7% is critical.
High blood sugar levels can harm your arteries, blood vessels, heart, kidneys, feet, and eyes, thus maintaining a healthy blood sugar level is preferable.
You can work with your doctor to determine your target blood sugar level and A1C, as well as any modifications to your diet and daily physical activity habits that will assist you in meeting your objectives.
High blood pressure
Many people who have diabetes also have high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force exerted by your blood against the walls of your blood vessels.
When your blood pressure rises, your heart has to work harder to circulate blood throughout your body. High blood pressure has been linked to heart attacks and strokes.
Most diabetics should keep their blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg. You can work with your doctor to determine your blood pressure targets.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a kind of lipid found in the bloodstream. High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Many diabetics have high cholesterol levels and must take statins to keep their hearts healthy.
Your HDL level should be greater than 60 and your LDL level should be less than 100, for a total cholesterol level of less than 200.
If you are over 40 years old, you should consult your doctor about cholesterol-lowering techniques, including medication.
Smoking
If you smoke, you should think about stopping. Don’t start smoking if you don’t already. Smoking causes your blood to thicken and form clots inside veins and arteries, which directly causes heart attacks and strokes. A clot-caused blockage can result in a heart attack and abrupt death.
Diabetes predisposes people to narrowing and blocking of blood vessels and arteries, and smoking only enhances the risk of CAD.
However, it is never too late to give up. According to large studies published in 2013, stopping smoking before the age of 40 reduces the risk of mortality by 90%, while quitting before the age of 30 prevents more than 97% of the risk of death associated with continuing smoking into adulthood.
Furthermore, persons with diabetes who quit smoking experience less insulin resistance after 8 weeks.
Takeaway
Diabetes and coronary artery disease are intimately linked. CAD is the primary cause of death in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and approximately 80% of diabetics will die from a cardiovascular incident. If you have diabetes, you are twice as likely to develop heart disease as if you do not.
This is because diabetes-related persistent high blood sugar levels can damage and constrict blood vessels and arteries, especially those surrounding your heart. That means your heart has to work considerably harder to circulate blood throughout your body, raising your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Maintaining appropriate blood sugar and A1C levels, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and quitting smoking can all help to reduce the risk of death from CAD and CVD.
