“WHAT’S SO WRONG ABOUT DIABETES IN HEART HEALTH?”

 If you are diabetic, chances are like Heart Disease loves to play on your favor BIG TIME!!

Reason?

Read the full article to get a clear picture of what all is happening in the life of a long-time diabetic, facing the progression of health issues, particularly the development of severe heart problems.

And, most importantly, don’t panic!

We have got you covered with a whole new reversal approach to heart health for achieving a diabetic-free life, curated by the most acclaimed cardiologist and lifestyle coach, Dr. Bimal Chajjer.

For starter, let’s have a brief overview..

The Link Between Diabetes & Heart Disease:

Having diabetes makes you more likely to have heart problems or coronary artery disease or cardiovascular disease (CVD). These can cause heart attacks and strokes. Plus, these heart issues can make other diabetes problems, like trouble with your vision and your feet (known as diabetic foot), even worse.

Furthermore, cardiovascular disease negatively impacts blood circulation, worsening other diabetes-related concerns such as vision impairment and foot problems, also commonly known as diabetic foot.

So, it’s extremely important to take care of your heart when you have diabetes. We’re here to break down why diabetes can elevate the risks of heart troubles and give you fundamental and effective guidelines on how to reduce that risk.

 

How does diabetes elevate the risk of heart disease?

If your blood sugar stays elevated all the time, even for a slight difference, it will cause damage to your blood vessels and potentially serious cardiac problems.

This happens as a result of your body’s inability to properly utilize all the sugar, which makes more of it stick to your red blood cells and build up in your circulation. This accumulation can damage and clog the blood vessels that carry blood to and from your heart, depriving the organ of vital nutrients and oxygen.

Maintaining strict adherence to your target HbA1c level becomes critical in protecting your blood vessels and, as a result, your heart. Even a minor increase in blood sugar levels, if sustained over time, increases your susceptibility to heart-related dangers. 

To reduce these risks, it’s of vital importance to keep track of your HbA1c levels and take aggressive steps to lower them if they exceed the suggested threshold.

Now, let’s talk about : Managing your diabetes and your heart

We have previously looked into the correlation between high blood sugar levels and heart disease. However, it is critical to realize that heart health is influenced not only by blood sugar levels, but also by the damaging effects of high cholesterol (blood fats) and high blood pressure.

1. Elevated Cholesterol:

When your cholesterol levels are too high, excess fat in your bloodstream sticks to the walls of your blood vessels. This fat hardens over time, generating what is known as plaque.  Hardened plaque can obstruct blood vessels, narrowing the space available for blood flow.

The condition, also known as arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis, is the leading cause of heart attacks. Blood flow slows when the channels narrow, leading blood cells to clump together and form clots. If a blood clot becomes dislodged, it can travel through your arteries and veins until it reaches a segment that is too thin to flow through, resulting in a partial or complete blockage.

This obstruction deprives the heart of vital oxygen and nutrients, resulting in a heart attack. As a result, it’s critical to take into account that factors like excessive cholesterol, in addition to blood sugars, play a key impact in molding the overall health of your heart.

2. High blood pressure

High blood pressure causes problems that go beyond the difficulty of blood flow through the vessels. Atherosclerosis, which develops over time, contributes to the stiffness and reduced elasticity of the walls lining your blood vessels. This impact can cause high blood pressure, often known as hypertension, or it might aggravate pre-existing hypertension.

High blood pressure puts additional strain on your blood vessels, aggravating the strain already triggered by high cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Blood vessel narrowing does not only affect the heart; it can also affect other regions of the body, such as the legs and feet. This type of condition is known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and if left untreated, it has the potential that could result in amputation.  

 

Proactive Measures for a Heart-Healthy Life:

The key takeover however is, you can help advert damage & harm to your blood vessels by taking proactive measures after your:

1. Blood Sugar Levels
2. Blood Pressure
3. Cholesterol (blood fats)

 

Regularly checking your blood pressure, cholesterol, and HbA1c is an essential part of your healthcare routine, particularly if you have diabetes. You should also have these tests done at least once a year.

Effectively managing these three components not only helps with diabetes management, but it also protects against potential heart issues. Nonetheless, there are various additional strategies you can use to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Is Prescribed Medication EVERYTHING to your Diabetes-Cardio Vascular War??

The good news is that you can reduce and reverse your potential risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease without being completely dependent on prescribed medications for the rest of your life.

Here’s how you can achieve this:

• As part of your diabetes assessment, schedule annual checks for your HbA1c, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol (lipids). Seek advice and assistance from your professionals to ensure that these parameters remain within your target range.

 

• Seek help to quit smoking and using tobacco. Smoking reduces blood circulation, especially to the heart. If you need help quitting, speak with your healthcare provider or follow a strict lifestyle management strategy provided by Dr. Bimal Chhajer under his SAAOL safety circle resource designed to help you live healthy life. 

 

• Adopt a nutritious, well-balanced diet to safeguard your heart.

 

• Engage in regular physical activity and incorporate exercise into your routine.

 

• Seek help to lose weight if you are battling with obesity or overweight difficulties. Even a small weight loss might have a major impact. Also, if you experience any chest pain or pain while walking, see a doctor or a cardiologist as soon as possible. These symptoms could indicate a heart attack.

We’ve got more information about reducing your risk of a stroke too – it’s all very similar advice as they’re closely linked to lifestyle re-modification approach rather than just medicated prescription dependency.

For more details on Cardio Vascular Health, problems and effective treatment approach, visit Dr. Bimal Chajjer at SAAOL Heart Centre, India.