Diabetes, Heart Disease, & Stroke | NIDDK (2023)

FAQs

How does diabetes cause heart disease and stroke? ›

Adults with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke as people who do not have diabetes. Over time, high blood sugar from diabetes can damage blood vessels in the heart and block blood vessels leading to the brain, causing a stroke. More than 2 in 3 people with diabetes have high blood pressure.

Smoking. Being overweight or having obesity. Not getting enough physical activity. Eating a diet high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium (salt)

Having diabetes means you are more likely to develop heart disease. People with diabetes are also more likely to have certain risk factors, such as high blood pressure link or high cholesterol, that increase their chances of having a heart attack or a stroke.

Improving your diet, stopping smoking, reducing your alcohol intake, reducing your weight and taking more exercise can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Healthy diet, regular physical activity, and not using tobacco products are the keys to prevention. Checking and controlling risk factors for heart disease and stroke such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar or diabetes is also very important.

Dr. Soliman says silent heart attacks are a particular concern for people with diabetes. High blood sugar, high blood pressure and cholesterol problems raise risk for heart events, but nerve damage can make warning signs of an attack impossible to feel.

Diabetes is a well-established risk factor for stroke. It can cause pathologic changes in blood vessels at various locations and can lead to stroke if cerebral vessels are directly affected. Additionally, mortality is higher and poststroke outcomes are poorer in patients with stroke with uncontrolled glucose levels.

From 90 to 130 mg/dL (5.0 to 7.2 mmol/L) for adults. From 90 to 130 mg/dL (5.0 to 7.2 mmol/L) for children, 13 to 19 years old. From 90 to 180 mg/dL (5.0 to 10.0 mmol/L) for children, 6 to 12 years old. From 100 to 180 mg/dL (5.5 to 10.0 mmol/L) for children under 6 years old.

Diabetic patients have an increased risk of developing heart failure because of the abnormal cardiac handling of glucose and free fatty acids (FFAs), and because of the effect of the metabolic derangements of diabetes on the cardiovascular system.

What are the symptoms of diabetes heart disease? ›

Hyperglycemia and the Brain

High blood sugar over time damages blood vessels in the brain that carry oxygen-rich blood. When your brain receives too little blood, brain cells can die. This is called brain atrophy and can cause problems with memory and thinking and eventually can lead to vascular dementia.

A person is considered at high risk for developing heart disease if their total cholesterol level is higher than 240 mg/dL, LDL levels are higher than 160 mg/dL (190 mg/dL is even higher risk), and if the HDL level is below 40 mg/dL.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends low- to moderate-dose statins in adults ages 40 to 75 who have one or more risk factors for heart and blood vessel disease and at least a 1 in 10 chance of having a cardiosvascular disease event in the next 10 years.

Low risk – QRISK2 score of less than 10%

This means that you have less than a one in ten chance of having a stroke or heart attack in the next 10 years.

Drink water before bed

A study in the American Journal of Medical Epidemiology found that participants who drink five or more glasses of plain water per day have a lower risk for fatal coronary heart disease, compared to those who drink less than two glasses per day.

Foods high in potassium, such as sweet and white potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, prunes, melon and soybeans, can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure — the leading risk factor of stroke. Magnesium-rich foods, such as spinach, are also linked to a lower risk of stroke.

The best diet for preventing heart disease is one that is full of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fish, poultry, and vegetable oils; includes alcohol in moderation, if at all; and goes easy on red and processed meats, refined carbohydrates, foods and beverages with added sugar, sodium, and foods with trans ...

Eating steaks, sausages, and other red meats high in saturated fat could lead to a stroke. An elderly person who eats red meat is more likely to have an ischemic stroke because saturated fat causes blockages in blood vessels that supply blood to the brain.

Stress can cause the heart to work harder, increase blood pressure, and increase sugar and fat levels in the blood. These things, in turn, can increase the risk of clots forming and travelling to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.

What are 6 foods that prevent stroke? ›

The new study, led by Abel and Kevin Xiang at UC Davis, shows that too much insulin in the blood (hyperinsulinemia) contributes to heart failure by triggering a molecular chain reaction that damages heart muscle cells.

In general, the risk of heart disease death and stroke are more than twice as high in people with diabetes. While all people with diabetes have an increased chance of developing heart disease, the condition is more common in those with type 2 diabetes.

"The effects of added sugar intake — higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease — are all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke," says Dr.

A fasting blood glucose (sugar) level of 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or higher is dangerous. People who have diabetes are 2 times as likely to have a stroke compared to people who do not have diabetes.

The symptoms of a diabetic stroke are the same as for any stroke. They include problems with speech, a sudden and severe headache, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, confusion, dizziness, loss of balance, and vision problems.

Recovery time after a stroke is different for everyone—it can take weeks, months, or even years. Some people recover fully, but others have long-term or lifelong disabilities. Learn more about stroke rehabilitation from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke .

Normal ranges of blood sugar levels are between 70 and 130 mg/dL before eating meals. The American Diabetes Association recommends seniors have blood glucose levels of less than 180 mg/dL two hours after eating. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don't all need the same type of at-home care.

Some studies suggest that drinking coffee — whether caffeinated and decaffeinated — may actually reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you already have diabetes, however, the impact of caffeine on insulin action may be associated with higher or lower blood sugar levels.

The key measure of diabetes control is hemoglobin A1c. For healthy over 65ers with long life expectancy, the target should be 7.0 – 7.5%.

Can diabetes cause sudden death? ›

Impairment of tissue insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes is a significant factor for sudden cardiac death. The complex pathophysiology stems from coexisting cardiovascular disease and complications of impaired tissue sensitivity to insulin.

Although there have been recent improvements in congestive heart failure treatment, researchers say the prognosis for people with the disease is still bleak, with about 50% having an average life expectancy of less than five years. For those with advanced forms of heart failure, nearly 90% die within one year.

“It is possible to reverse the detrimental effects of diabetes on risk of heart disease, in particular. However, that's probably a long-term aim, because the problems that diabetes causes to the cardiovascular system take years to develop.” Taking this long-term outlook involves permanent lifestyle changes.

Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) means there is too much sugar in the blood because the body lacks enough insulin. Associated with diabetes, hyperglycemia can cause vomiting, excessive hunger and thirst, rapid heartbeat, vision problems and other symptoms. Untreated hyperglycemia can lead to serious health problems.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart. The ECG reflects what's happening in different areas of the heart and helps identify any problems with the rhythm or rate of your heart. The ECG is painless and takes around 5-10 minutes to perform.

Even though there's no diabetes cure, diabetes can be treated and controlled, and some people may go into remission. To manage diabetes effectively, you need to do the following: Manage your blood sugar levels.

How Does Diabetes Affect Memory Loss? Uncontrolled diabetes may increase the risk of experiencing cognitive problems, such as memory loss. Higher than normal blood glucose levels can damage nerve cells, supportive glial cells, and blood vessels in both peripheral nerves of the body and the brain.

Feeling a range of highs and lows is not uncommon if you have diabetes. Your blood sugar impacts how you feel and can contribute to mood swings. Poor management of blood glucose can lead to negative moods and a lower quality of life .

People with type 1 diabetes are at a heightened risk for mental health issues, including diabetes distress, depression, anxiety, and disordered eating. However, these are all treatable disorders. It is important to pay attention to your feelings about having diabetes or taking care of someone who has diabetes.

Although rice does not contain cholesterol, it can affect the body in a way that may raise someone's cholesterol levels or triglycerides. In addition, there are several factors to consider to determine if rice can cause an individual to develop high cholesterol. These include: the type of rice someone eats.

Do eggs raise cholesterol? ›

Answer From Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D. Chicken eggs are an affordable source of protein and other nutrients. They're also naturally high in cholesterol. But the cholesterol in eggs doesn't seem to raise cholesterol levels the way some other foods, such as those high in trans fats and saturated fats, do.

thinning, paleness, or shininess on the skin of your legs and feet. tissue death caused by lack of blood supply, called gangrene. ulcers on your legs and feet that don't heal or heal very slowly. leg pain that doesn't go away when at rest.

Statins are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S. for a reason: They can lower your LDL (low-density lipoproteins) cholesterol (the “bad cholesterol”) by 25% to 50% or more, depending on the specific statin and dose. Statins are also helpful in lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Low: Less than a 5% risk. Borderline: A 5% to 7.4% risk. Intermediate: A 7.5% to 19.9% risk. High: More than a 20% risk.

For adults aged 40 to 75 years who have 1 or more cardiovascular risk factors (ie, dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, or smoking) and an estimated 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk of 10% or greater: Initiate a statin.

low – you have less than a 10% chance of a heart or circulation problem in the next 10 years. moderate – you have a 10% to 20% chance of a heart or circulation problem in the next 10 years. high – you have more than a 20% chance of a heart or circulation problem in the next 10 years.

Dr. Soliman says silent heart attacks are a particular concern for people with diabetes. High blood sugar, high blood pressure and cholesterol problems raise risk for heart events, but nerve damage can make warning signs of an attack impossible to feel.

Diabetes means you have too much sugar in your blood. This can increase the risk of a stroke, because having too much sugar in your blood damages the blood vessels. High blood sugar levels can: Make blood vessels become stiff.

How much does diabetes increase risk of heart disease? ›

People with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely than others to develop cardiovascular disease. Because this risk is so high, cardiovascular disease remains the most common cause of death in people with diabetes.

Eating too much added sugar increases the risk of dying with heart disease. A sugar-laden diet may raise your risk of dying of heart disease even if you aren't overweight. So says a major study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Diabetes can affect your nerves and make heart attacks painless or “silent.” A silent heart attack means that you may not have any warning signs, or they may be very mild. Your health care provider might need to do special tests to see whether you've had a heart attack.

Eating steaks, sausages, and other red meats high in saturated fat could lead to a stroke. An elderly person who eats red meat is more likely to have an ischemic stroke because saturated fat causes blockages in blood vessels that supply blood to the brain.

Drink a lot of water: You should drink at least five glasses of water per day, and this will reduce your risk of stroke by 53%, according to a recent study by Loma Linda University.

Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs of stroke appear: Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; Trouble seeing in one or both eyes; Trouble walking, dizziness, or problems with balance; severe headache with no known cause.

Several other studies have shown shortened life expectancies for people living with diabetes, but years vary. A 2001 study found that people with type 1 diabetes lived an average of 59.7 years when diagnosed under age 30 and with the start of insulin treatment within 12 months of diagnosis.

“It is possible to reverse the detrimental effects of diabetes on risk of heart disease, in particular. However, that's probably a long-term aim, because the problems that diabetes causes to the cardiovascular system take years to develop.” Taking this long-term outlook involves permanent lifestyle changes.

Can metformin cause heart problems? ›

Many antihyperglycemic drugs can increase the risk of heart failure. However, it is commonly believed that metformin - the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes - reduces the risk of and improves the clinical course of heart failure. It is estimated that 20-25% of patients taking metformin have heart failure.

A buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries (atherosclerosis) is the most common cause of coronary artery disease. Risk factors include a poor diet, lack of exercise, obesity and smoking. Healthy lifestyle choices can help lower the risk of atherosclerosis.

When you stop eating sugar, you're likely to find you're far healthier and less likely to catch a cold or flu bug. One reason for this has to do with your white blood cells. For up to 5 hours after you've eaten a bunch of sugar, those cells are 50% less able to fight off bad bacteria.