Surveys have established that two out of three diabetics carry a risk of heart attack. Diabetes brings you two to four times the risk carried by non diabetics. It is important to monitor the various parameters of diabetes in order that you can live a risk free life. So here is a brief of the mechanisms of effects of diabetes on human heart.
Mechanisms of Heart Disease in Diabetes
Our hearts are affected in many ways in diabetes. More often than not Cholesterol plays a role in bringing the heart to dangers. Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced by our liver and is carried throughout our bodies by blood stream. Cholesterol is also present in our diets. When Cholesterol travels around, it does so in small lumps of lipoproteins (a form of protein). There are two types of these lipoproteins. They are LDL (high density lipoproteins) and HDL (high density lipoproteins). The LDL carries cholesterol from liver and HDL brings back the unused cholesterol to liver.
When high levels of cholesterol are not assimilated by our bodies and they are dumped all over the arteries by LDL. This cholesterol gets combined with glucose and becomes hard to form what professionals call plaques. Gradually over a period of 3-4 years plaque builds up all over your body silently without you noticing it. In the process your arteries (blood vessels that carry from the heart) loose their flexibility and harden.
Now, with stiffened arteries and reduced passage, the heart has to pump harder to supply fresh blood and complete circulation. Additional pumping effort by heart leads to fatigue and if you fail to take reversing steps it may eventually lead to heart attack.
Who does it affect?
All diabetics above the age of 40 years need to have their cholesterol examined every three years. Diabetes affecting human heart is a common incidence to all communities though it is noticed more in African American community. Both women and men are affected.
Important Things to Do
The key to avoiding heart ailments in diabetes is maintaining blood glucose levels and cholesterol contents. Regular walking for about 40 minutes, preferably in the mornings, drinking lots of water, about 1½ to 2 a day liters and regular monitoring of sugar levels will alert you in cases of emergency. While walking helps burn away some glucose and cholesterol it forces you inhale a lot of oxygen. You cannot over emphasize the importance of oxygen to your heart. Avoiding animal fats (milk products) and meat reduces your intake of cholesterol.