Cardiovascular system is one of the most important systems in the human
body. It is comprised of the heart, blood and blood vessels. Blood is being
pumped out from the heart and is the one responsible in delivering oxygen
and other nutrients to all the parts of the body. It also cleans up our body
by picking up the waste products on its way back to the heart so our body
can get rid of them.
So what has diabetes got to do with the cardiovascular system? Since blood
is part of the cardiovascular system, and diabetes is a condition in which
the level of glucose in the blood is higher than normal, then there must be
some relationship between the two.
Diabetes and cardiovascular system diseases has been recognized to be
closely related to each other for some time now due to the so-called insulin
resistance syndrome or metabolic syndrome. Among the 20 million people
in the United States who has diabetes, around 5 to 6 million of this
population who are aged 35 years and above were diagnosed to have a
certain cardiovascular disease according to the National Diabetes
Surveillance System. Some examples of the commonly diagnosed
cardiovascular disease are coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood
pressure and other heart conditions.
Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause now of deaths related to
diabetes. In a study published few years back in the Journal of the
American Medical Association, deaths due to some heart conditions went up
by 23% in diabetic women despite the 27% drop of the same in nondiabetic
women. As for diabetic men, there is only about 13% decrease in
heart disease related deaths as compared to the 36% drop in nondiabetics.
Thus, the two indeed go together.
Risk Factors
Diabetes is now considered by the American Heart Association a major risk
factor in cardiovascular diseases. Other factors that contribute to the
possibility of acquiring cardiovascular diseases in diabetic patients include
hypertension, smoking, and dyslipidemia.
- Hypertension. Hypertension in diabetes is considered a major contributor
to the increase in mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Diabetic patients,
especially those with Type 2, need to always have their blood pressure
checked every visit to the doctor. Self-monitoring at home is also a must to
maintain and control the rise of blood pressure. The American Diabetes
Association recommends a target blood pressure of not more than 130/85
mm Hg to maintain a good level of blood pressure.
- Hyperglycemia. Intensive glycemic control may prove to reduce the risk
of cardiovascular events, although not directly. This can be more beneficial
in controlling micro vascular complications, but still, assessing all risk
factors and properly managing them is a big step in preventing occurrence
of any cardiovascular diseases.
- Smoking. Smoking has been determined dangerous to our health. Studies
show that smoking indeed increase risk of premature death and
cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients.
Prevention
As the old saying goes, “prevention is better than cure.” There are many
ways on how to prevent the increased possibility of cardiovascular events
in diabetic patients. Several alterations or modifications to the risk factors
can be done to still maintain healthy despite of diabetes.
The simplest step one can start with is to stop smoking. Diabetic or not,
cessation of smoking will really prove beneficial to one’s overall health
condition. Maintaining blood pressure to less than 130/85 or 130/80 mm
Hg helps control the occurrence of hypertension. Having a body mass index
(BMI) of less than 27 is also a must for diabetic patients to control their
overall condition.
Some tests are also recommended to monitor and keep maintain key
factors at a healthy level. These tests include annual urine test, retinal
dilation examination, dental examinations, and biannual foot examination
for sensation testing and measurement of pulses. Influenza and
pnuemococcal immunizations also help in proper maintenance.
Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases need proper attention and care.
Regular visits to your health practitioner are recommended as they are the
right people who know all about your condition. They keep all the records
of their patients’ health history and can track improvements or otherwise.
Proper medications and advice are also given by these professionals.
Diabetes is indeed a life-long condition that demands a lot of attention.
There may be no hard and real cure for this disease, but it sure can be
maintained and controlled by proper care and having thorough knowledge
and understanding about the condition.
The Cardiovascular System & Diabetes 
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