Heart And Brain Complications In Diabetes

By Author: Sushruth Ayurved
Total Articles: 12
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Heart and brain complications in Diabetes

There are many complications associated with long term diabetes. Amongst the major ones to worry about are heart attacks and strokes. Being a diabetes patient puts you at a higher risk for both. Diabetes patients are at twice the risk for these complications as compared to non-diabetic adults.

This is because diabetes
- Speeds up the process of arteries malfunction
Alters blood cholesterol and fat percentages
Makes the blood more prone to clotting.

This leads to greater chances of a blockage either in the blood vessels surrounding the heart leading to a heart attack, or the blood vessels leading to the brain causing a stroke. Both these conditions are emergency conditions and require urgent medical attention. Other factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, obesity and belly fat usually associated with diabetes only add to the overall risk.

Luckily the steps you take for diabetes management will also help reduce your risks for heart attack or stroke. These include
Regular exercise
Controlled diet
...
... Using medications and lifestyle to keep sugar levels and blood pressure within prescribed limits
Weight loss as needed
Quitting smoking

As always in diabetes, controlling sugar levels is the optimal way to ensure that you reduce your risks of the complications associated with long term high blood glucose levels.