HEALTH CONDITIONS: Heart Disease/Stroke
Keeping an eye out for the leading causes of death among those with diabetes
BY:MARGARET FARLEY STEELE
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, heart attack and stroke are the leading causes of death in those with type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and NIDDK put the percentage of deaths from heart or vascular disease between 65 and 75 percent of those with diabetes. So helping your loved one who has diabetes maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle is essential.
High blood sugar levels can cause blood vessels in the body to clog up, a condition called arteriosclerosis (or hardening of the arteries). Blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the heart can cause a heart attack. When blood flow to the brain is blocked, a stroke can result.
Women, in particular, are at risk because high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both common among those with diabetes, do greater damage to their blood vessels, says Lori Mosca, MD, MPH, PhD, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and associate professor of medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
To prevent cardiovascular disease, help the person in your care to:
Stop smoking.
Consume a healthy diet that is low in saturated fats, cholesterol and salt.
Engage in physical activity, such as walking.
Reduce excessive alcohol consumption.
Lower high blood pressure and high LDL cholesterol through prescription medication if lifestyle changes are ineffective.
Lower high blood glucose levels.
Maintain A1C levels at a level less than seven percent.
Also, discuss with the healthcare provider the value of taking a daily aspirin, and learn the symptoms of heart attack and stroke.
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