What’s the Connection: Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke

From the 2011 Spring Senior Circle publication

So you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes and need to manage your blood sugar. But that’s not all, according to Candice Yu-Fleming, MD, with Portage Medical Group. “Diabetes also greatly increases your risk for heart disease or stroke. The scary fact is that two out of three people with diabetes die from stroke or heart disease,” she said.

But there’s good news: “Knowing you’re diabetic means you can act to reduce your risks for problems with all three conditions – diabetes, heart disease, and stroke,” said Yu-Fleming. The connection between these three conditions is strong, but confusing. Below Yu-Fleming offers some enlightening answers:

What does diabetes have to do with heart disease or stroke?

“All three conditions are very much related to a high level of blood glucose, as this leads to changes in the walls of the blood vessels. When the blood vessels are affected, the proper circulation of blood gets prohibited, and, as a result, the heart or brain can be damaged.”

What does “metabolic syndrome” have to do with my risk factors?

“Metabolic syndrome is a group of symptoms and signs that tend to clump together and increase the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Signs include abdominal obesity (“belly fat”), high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL, and elevated blood glucose. The syndrome appears to be increasing in prevalence. About 10 percent of young adults match the symptom picture, but the figure rises to about 44 percent of the over-60 population. Reduce these signs and reduce your risk,” she adds.

What tips do you have for preventing or managing these conditions?

“That’s the good news. You have the power to make a major difference in your risk factors.” Yu-Fleming suggests the list at right for ways to reduce your risk.

Reduce Your Risk for diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

1. Keep your blood sugar level under control. Monitor and manage your sugar levels.

2. Lose weight – and keep it off. You don’t have to lose a huge amount of weight to reduce your risk for heart disease. Losing even 10 pounds can help.

3. Reduce your cholesterol level. If diet alone doesn’t lower your cholesterol, talk to your doctor about medications to help.

4. Increase your physical activity. Exercise will also help maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

5. Control your blood pres- sure. The same lifestyle changes that control blood sugar levels may also keep your blood pressure at safe levels.

6. Don’t smoke. Smoking is even worse for people who have diabetes because it damages the blood vessels.