Patients with diabetes are now more likely to experience heart failure. Experts estimate that people with diabetes have a nearly four-fold increased risk of developing heart failure compared to the general population. Additionally, diabetes is a risk factor for heart failure, indicating a relationship between the two.
Heart disease is one of the most prevalent diseases, affecting millions of people worldwide. In many nations, it is one of the leading causes of death for both sexes, and individuals with diabetes have a twofold increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
What effects diabetes has on the heart?
Coronary heart disease is the most prevalent type of heart disease in people with diabetes. Over time, a fatty, waxy substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart; as plaque hardens, it causes the arteries to become stiff. This condition frequently results in mild, silent heart attacks with no prior symptoms.
Diabetes mellitus, another name for type 2 diabetes, is typically inherited genetically and also has a connection to lifestyle. A chronic illness develops when the body cannot produce enough or use insulin properly. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are significantly more likely to occur in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
The risk of serious cardiovascular complications like heart attack, stroke, and coronary artery disease is also significantly higher in people with type 1 diabetes than in the general population. Additionally, a person with diabetes who smokes is more likely to experience severe complications from diabetes, such as heart disease, kidney disease, and other serious illnesses. Smokers who give up smoking can control their blood sugar levels better if they have diabetes.
Patients with diabetes are now more likely to experience heart failure. Experts estimate that people with diabetes have a nearly four-fold increased risk of developing heart failure compared to the general population. Additionally, diabetes is a risk factor for heart failure, indicating a relationship between the two. The presence of coronary artery disease, advanced age, the length of the disease, low insulin resistance, and an elevated serum creatinine level are all independent risk factors for the development of heart failure in diabetic patients.
Heart failure and type 2 diabetes frequently co-occur, increasing the other’s risk of development. This results in further deteriorating patient conditions, hospitalizations, more emergency room trips, earlier deaths, lower quality of life, and higher healthcare costs.
How can it be avoided?
Certain anti-diabetic drugs have the effect of raising the metabolic risk of heart failure in people with diabetes. Therefore, primary care physicians and cardiologists must prioritize treating heart failure with medications that lower blood sugar. Additionally, diabetic patients with heart failure require a multidisciplinary approach to clinical decision-making regarding the degree of glycaemic control, the type and dosage of glucose-lowering medications, and any gradual implementation of a change in the glucose-lowering therapy.
Numerous studies support the idea that patients with and without diabetes can benefit from any intervention that improves the prognosis for patients with heart failure. Heart failure can be prevented or delayed by encouraging the convergence and harmonization of early risk factor detection and effective management.
As a result, it’s crucial to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, and consume a well-balanced diet.
