The Link Between Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke

Woody Short

6 years ago

Understanding the relationship between diabetes heart disease and stroke could be significant in how you take care of your health.

When you are struggling with your glucose levels and your insulin sensitivity due to diabetes, you know it is imperative to monitor every other aspect of your health. But, what is the relationship between diabetes heart disease and stroke?

Medical research has proven that the link between these factors is strong and, in many cases, one may be the cause of the other. Let us explain.

According to the National Heart Association, the relationship between diabetes and heart disease can be proven by taking a look a the following data: approximate 67% of people that live with diabetes will die from some type of heart disease or stroke.

This is because diabetics often have very poor heart health, thus, leading to the appliance of many cardiovascular diseases.

For patients, the relationship between diabetes heart disease and stroke is not that hard to explain, but rather it can be seen as the result of complications with certain diseases are not managed properly.

For example, someone experiencing diabetes and heart disease symptoms may ignore certain factors simply because they attribute it to something that “will go away on its own”, not knowing that they may be experiencing warning signals of a stroke.

Lack of diabetes management, or not paying the necessary attention to your treatment, can create – what experts call a chain reaction of sorts – where the link between diabetes heart disease and stroke becomes stronger.

Poor management of your glucose levels can cause arterial damage due to the buildup of fat. This leads to blocked coronary arteries, which provokes heart disease (such as angina) and even lead to stroke.

A patient living with diabetes, is 2 to 4 times more likely to suffer from a heart condition due to diabetes complications. Because of this relationship between diabetes and heart disease, experts recommend to diabetic patients to follow up with a heart specialist to develop a proper care plan.

Someone experiencing diabetes and heart disease symptoms may often feel:

Nausea or sick to their stomach
Unusual fatigue
Shortness of breath
Agitation
Strong palpitations
Cold sweats or heavy sweating
Light-headedness
Weakness

Whenever someone experiences these sensations, they should receive immediate medical attention to avoid a heart attack or a stroke.

Depending on your particular case, to prevent a complication of the diabetes heart disease and stroke cycle, a Doctor or Specialist can suggest a number of treatment ideas that may include aspiring therapy, medication to treat hypertension, and changes in your lifestyle.

Moreover, if you are interested in making a positive impact on your life and actually improving your health, there are a number of things or adjustments you can make to your daily life in order to manage your diabetes and prevent a heart condition.

Among those chances you could:

Quit smoking and decrease the amount of alcohol you consume, as these two factors are closely related to the appearance of these two diseases;
Stick to a balanced diet, where you have good portions of lean proteins, a lot of fiber, low complex carbs and healthy fats;
Try to add at least 30 minutes of medium-paced exercise to your routine, at least 3 times per week. Think about walking up the stairs or riding a bike for a change;
Have regular check-ups and discuss your management plan with your Doctor as much as you deem it necessary, ask questions, share your doubts, make the changes that will work best for you.

Taking yourself as a priority should always be key, especially if you want to prevent a diabetes heart disease and stroke complication. Managing your health will take getting used to, but it is doable, and most importantly it will help you lead a better life.