Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of deaths related to diabetes. Diabetics have a 2 to 4 time greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease because of the added risk causes listed below:

• Disorders with Lipid
• Blood pressure which is high
• High LDL or bad cholesterol
• Smoking
• High triglycerides
• Low HDL or good cholesterol
• Obesity
• No physical activity
• Poor control of blood glucose levels

Another risk factor is emerging and it is a dysfunction of the core metabolism for those with Type-2 diabetes. That is insulin resistance.

The condition of Insulin resistance is the where the cells of the body does not efficiently respond to the insulin it secretes. This affects approximately sixty-million people in the US alone. 1 out of every 4 will probably be diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes eventually as their bodies become unable to maintain normal glucose and insulin levels.

Below are the conditions which are normally found in persons suffering from Type-2 diabetes as well as the reason each condition contributes to a diabetic’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease:

Obesity

Is a key risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease and is strongly related to resistance to insulin. Resistance to insulin can be a means by which obesity can lead to cardiovascular disease. The loss of this weight will improve risk of cardiovascular disease, decrease concentrations of insulin and increase insulin sensitivity. Resistant’s to insulin and obesity have also been linked with some other risk factors, one example being blood pressure that is too high.

Little Physical Activity

Is one other key risk factor for cardiovascular disease as well as insulin resistance. Losing weight and exercising can delay or stop the onset of Type-2 diabetes by reducing blood pressure and also helping reduce the risk for stroke and heart disease. It is possibly that any kind of physical activity, whether gardening, sports, housework, or physical activities related to work are similarly helpful.

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Hypertension is recognized as another key risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Research does report a relationship between insulin resistance and hypertension. If a person has hypertension as well as diabetes, which is a frequent combination, the danger of cardiovascular problems doubles.

Dyslipidemia

Dyslipidemia or diabetic dyslipidemia in those with diabetes is a state linked with insulin resistance. Dyslipidermia is marked by high levels of triglycerides, small LDL particles and low levels of HDL. This is known as “lipid triad” which often is found in those with coronary heart disease which is premature. Now this is mounting evidence suggesting that all of these components in the “lipid triad” do add to the increase in atherosclerosis which is the buildup in artery walls of fat and is also viewed as a risk factor. Although most diabetics don’t have marked LDL cholesterol elevation, the evidence shows that the high levels are enough to allow the growth of atherosclerosis.