Diabetes and Heart

Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death in people with diabetes. The incidence is two to three times greater in men and four to five times higher in women, compared to the non-diabetic population. Women with diabetes lose the pre-menopausal protection against heart disease that exists in those who do not have the condition. People of South Asian origin who have diabetes are at particularly high risk of developing heart disease. Unfortunately, due to the 'silent' nature of Type 2 diabetes, many people have already sustained atherosclerotic damage and are therefore at increased risk by the time of diagnosis. In people with neuropathy, the painful symptoms of angina or even heart attack may be masked and reduced because of nerve damage.

Additionally, there is some evidence that heart disease may develop at a faster rate in people with diabetes and this is why such preventive measures as those described above are considered to be so important. In the immediate aftermath of a heart attack, people with diabetes are at greater risk than those not affected by the condition. In addition to analgesics, drugs which may be used include beta-blockers, thrombolytics, ACE inhibitors and aspirin. A daily dose of enteric-coated aspirin may be recommended following recovery to prevent a recurrence and other heart drugs may also be required.

Stroke

People with diabetes have one and a half to two times greater risk of a stroke than the general population. Afro-Caribbean people appear to be at a particular risk. Treatment of a stroke is the same, whether diabetes is present or not. It involves intensive care and monitoring with the use of a variety of different drugs. Once the immediate danger is past, there follows a period of recovery and rehabilitation, involving physiotherapy, occupational therapy and possibly speech therapy, which may be quite prolonged. Disability following a stroke may mean that the person with diabetes requires ongoing help in order to manage their condition.

Peripheral Vascular Disease

This disease is twice as likely to occur in people with diabetes and is a major contributor to DIABETIC FOOT DISEASE. Risk factors for its development include smoking, hypertension and lipid abnormalities and it principally affects the circulation to the lower limbs and feet. It contributes to the development of ulcers in about half of all patients with diabetic foot lesions and its existence can impede healing. Peripheral vascular disease has a typical pattern of clinical signs and is diagnosed by a number of different techniques. Appropriate and vigilant foot care, drug treatments (aspirin and vasodilators to improve blood flow) and surgery are used to manage and treat the condition. Preventative measures are the same as those used for other forms of macrovascular disease.

See more diabetic complications information.