Diabetes & the heart - more connected than you think

People with diabetes are more likely than nondiabetics to have other medical problems, especially heart disease. Daniel Jones, MD, tells Diabetes Health Monitor what puts you at cardiac risk—and what you can do about it. Dr. Jones is dean of the University of Mississippi School of edicine in Jackson and president of the American Heart Association.

Q. Why are people with diabetes more likely to have heart disease?

A. People with diabetes are likely to have other medical problems. Diabetes is one of several risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Others include high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, obesity, and smoking. Of all the CVD risk factors, however, diabetes is the most serious and affects people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Three of the CVD risk factors—diabetes, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol—can cause a fatty material called plaque to form in your arteries. If plaque builds up and blocks the flow of blood in the arteries in the heart, it can cause a heart attack; if the plaque forms in the arteries supplying the brain, a stroke may result.

Q. What can people with diabetes do about cardiac risk factors?

A. The key for people with diabetes is good blood glucose control. You can work toward this goal in several ways: by watching your diet, getting enough physical activity, and using medication as prescribed by your doctor.
People with diabetes should “know their numbers” for blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. In other words, you should know what your current number is for each condition and the number you and your doctor have set as your goal. It’s very important to work with your physician—dieticians and diabetes educators, if they are available—to develop a treatment plan that will address all your risk factors and conditions.
The complexity of these problems makes them challenging to manage. It can be very difficult for physicians and patients to deal with diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol—and possibly other conditions—in one office visit.

Q. How soon can cardiac symptoms appear?

A. People without diabetes often experience CVD symptoms when they’re in their 60s or 70s. However, in people with diabetes, CVD symptoms appear 10 to 20 years earlier, and CVD is the leading cause of death for people with type 2 diabetes. That’s why it’s so important to begin early management of risk factors.