Is there any link between diabetes and heart attack? We spoke to Dr. Anil Dhall (Cardiologist), who answered some common questions around diabetes and heart attack.
Can diabetes lead to a heart attack?
Does diabetes increase the risk of heart disease?
What damage does diabetes do to the heart?
What are the symptoms of a heart attack in diabetic patients?
Dr. Anil Dhall says that a person with diabetes has a higher risk of getting a heart attack. In diabetes, the blood glucose levels rise above normal, causing damage to the blood vessels of the heart. For this reason, diabetic patients tend to develop heart disease much earlier than normal individuals. The risk further increases if a person has:
High blood pressure
Abnormal cholesterol levels
Obesity (particularly belly fat)
Habit of smoking
Family history of heart diseases
How can the chances of heart disease be reduced in diabetic patients?
The best way to reduce the chances of getting heart diseases is to manage the ABCs.
A: A1c test - It is also known as HbA1c test and it shows the average blood glucose level for the past 3 months. It is ideal to maintain the A1c levels below 7%.
B: Blood pressure - Diabetic patients should maintain their blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg.
C: Cholesterol - There are mainly 2 types of cholesterol: LDL and HDL. LDL is known as bad cholesterol and HDL as good cholesterol. The bad cholesterol can cause clogging of blood vessels. High levels of bad cholesterol can lead to a heart attack.
s: Smoking - Diabetic patients should stop smoking. Smoking and diabetes both are said to cause narrowing of blood vessels which puts extra stress on the heart.
What changes can be maintained to develop a healthy lifestyle?
To develop a healthy lifestyle, the following habits should be adopted:
Follow a healthy diet plan
Make physical activity a priority
Maintain ideal body weight
Get proper sleep
Learn to balance stress
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