DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE

Diabetes Mellitus Is a Very Complex Problem

But generally, it is a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism due to an insufficiency or deficiency of insulin produced by the pancreas. carbohydrate metabolism produces sugar, and insulin helps keep the level of sugar in our blood stream at a normal level. It is characterized by a unique form of small vessel (capillaries) disease. Approximately 6% of the population have some form of diabetes.

There Are Two Types of Eiabetes Mellitus.

Type I usually starts before the age of 30 in non-obese individuals. This type of diabetes almost always requires treatment with daily insulin injection. Type II usually occurs after the age of 40 in obese individuals and can most often be managed by diet and/or medication in pill form. Both types do tend to run in families, and both tend to increase the risk of CAD.

How Would Someone Know If They Have Diabetes?

Many times the first indication may be an elevated fasting blood sugar found on a routine examination. An individual may also experience the classic symptoms of diabetes: Excessive thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss.

To diagnose diabetes a physician may order any of the following:

Fasting blood sugar and a blood sugar test following a meal, and a blood test called glucose tolerance test or a urine test to check for sugar. A normal fasting blood sugar ranges from 80-120 mg/dl.

The Relationship of Diabetes and Heart Disease

The relationship of diabetes and heart disease reveals some very sobering facts regarding the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

CAD is the most common cause of death in Type II diabetics. CAD also increases dramatically in diabetics with any of the other risk factors described earlier. Diabetics with CAD have more blood vessels with blockages than those without diabetes, and those blockages are more complicated, calcified and hard.

Heart attacks occur more frequently in diabetics and the size of the heart attack tends to be larger. Because diabetes effects the nerves, it is possible a diabetic would not feel the discomfort of angina (a warning sign of decreased blood flow to the heart) as intensely. In fact, the incidence of silent heart attacks (a heart attack without pain) is higher.

Additionally, a type of fat in the blood stream, triglycerides, tend to run high. High triglycerides are suspected in the role of plaque build up in the arteries. Diabetes also influence blockages of the arteries of the legs (peripheral vascular disease) and neck (carotid artery) which increases risk of stroke.