Diabetes is typically recognised as a silent killer. However, its far-reaching influences on your entire health–specifically your heart–are not as silent as they seem. At Deepak Heart Institute, we acknowledge the vital connection between diabetes and cardiovascular health, providing valuable guidance to avoid complexities and safeguard your heart.
Diabetes is beyond just a medical condition of high blood sugar; it is a persistent ailment that, if left untreated, can drastically lead to life-threatening conditions such as heart diseases, strokes, and heart surgeries.
In this blog, we will discover how dangerous diabetes really is, its connection with the heart, and beneficial tips to prevent heart problems and complicated surgeries.
How complicated is diabetes?
Diabetes is far more than just a typical health concern–it is a worldwide epidemic. Impacting countless people across the globe, diabetes develops when your body is either unable to generate sufficient insulin or lacks in utilising insulin efficiently, contributing to high blood sugar levels. This chronic high blood sugar deteriorates havoc on your body, affecting your blood vessels, nerves, and other organs.
Unmanageable diabetes increases the likelihood of severe complexities such as kidney failure, vision impairment, nerve obstruction, and, most prevalent, cardiovascular diseases. As per research, individuals with diabetes are more likely to be susceptible to heart diseases or struggle with strokes compared with those without diabetes.
How does diabetes impact your cardiovascular health?
The relation between diabetes and heart health is more profound than you may think. Here’s how diabetes influences your heart:
- Destroy blood vessels:
High blood sugar negatively influences the lining of blood vessels, causing stiffening and narrowing. This makes it challenging for blood to circulate properly, leading to a high risk of blockages.
- High cholesterol levels:
Diabetes particularly comes hand-in-hand with a significant level of LDL (Bad cholesterol) and a low level of HDL (Good cholesterol), leading to a surge in heart disease cases.
- Hypertension:
Patients with diabetes are more likely to experience high blood pressure, which consequently strains the heart and blood vessels.
- Causes inflammation:
Severe high blood sugar leads to inflammation, which plays a crucial role in developing plaque in arteries called atherosclerosis, raising the possibility of heart attacks.
- Contributes to obesity:
Several individuals dealing with Type-2 diabetes are overweight or have become victims of obesity, which is a noticeable risk factor for heart complications.
These aspects work together to force individuals with diabetes at greater risk of coronary artery disease, heart failure, strokes, and other heart-related ailments. At our hospital, we consider diabetes and heart health simultaneously.
Tips to maintain a healthy heart and prevent complicated surgeries
Fortunately, by adopting a heart-friendly lifestyle, you can conquer diabetes efficiently and alleviate the possibility of life-threatening diseases. Here are a few valuable tips:
- Emphasise healthy diet:
- Aim for a nutritious diet high in whole grains, low-fat proteins, healthy minerals, ample green vegetables and vibrant fruits.
- Control your sodium intake to manage blood pressure.
- Stay active:
- Regular exercise enhances insulin sensitivity, decreases blood sugar levels, and boosts heart health. Emphasis on practising 30 minutes of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming 4 days a week.
- Try aerobic exercises with strength boosting training to elevate benefits.
- Track your blood sugar levels:
- Maintain your blood sugar levels with routine testing and medication as prescribed.
- Buy a glucometer for the most effortless monitoring and maintaining a proper record.
- Minimise stress:
- Persistent stress can increase your blood sugar levels and interrupt your heart functions. Begin practising physical activities such as meditation, yoga or breathing exercises.
- Make sure you get sufficient sleep to enable your body to retrieve.
- Prevent smoking and alcohol:
- Smoking impacts your blood vessels and empowers atherosclerosis, consequently inclining the chances of heart disease.
- Excessive intake of alcohol can deteriorate your blood sugar levels and accelerate blood pressure. Reduce alcohol or prevent it altogether.
Don’t allow diabetes to impact your overall health and put your heart at high risk. Book a consultation at Deepak Heart Institute today and explore our proven strategies and result-driven treatments to improve your heart health.
How does Deepak Heart Institute assist?
At Deepak Heart Institute, we pride ourselves on offering extensive cardiovascular care customised for patients with severe diabetic issues. Our skilled team of cardiologists and diabetes specialists works tirelessly to deliver timely detection and prevention techniques for heart problems—our latest and proven treatments for diabetes-related cardiovascular situations. We also offer lifestyle coaching and nutritional counselling to assist you in maintaining optimal health. We are dedicated to assisting you maintain your diabetes and heart health seamlessly, encouraging you to live happier and healthier.