Heart and Blood Vessel Damage

 

 

Text Box: You can keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.

 

 

 

Heart and blood vessel problems are the main causes of sickness and death among people with diabetes.  These problems can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.  Heart and blood vessel problems can also cause poor blood flow (circulation) in the legs and feet, causing amputations.

 

The reason many persons with diabetes have heart disease is caused by the effect high blood sugar has on blood vessels.  High blood sugar causes the blood cells to become sticky.  This increases the build up of cholesterol in your blood vessels.  Blood vessels become narrow and sometimes blood flow is closed off.

 

Persons with diabetes their risks for heart and blood vessel problems when they are overweight, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high triglycerides.  Smoking or using any form of tobacco

adds greatly to these risks.  Talk with your health care

team about what you can do to lower your heart risks.

 

 

Signs of Heart and Blood Vessel Damage

 

·     Danger signs of poor circulation to the heart include chest pain, chest pressure, and shortness of breath or swollen ankles.  If you have any of these signs, go to an emergency room or call your health care provider.

 

·    Your brain may not getting enough circulation if you feel dizzy, have sudden loss of sight, slurred speech, or feel numbness or weakness in one arm or leg.  These are early signs of a stroke.

 

·    Signs of circulation problems to your legs are pain or cramping in your buttocks, thighs, or calves during physical activity.  Even if this pain goes away with rest, report it to your health care provider.

 

Prevent Heart and Blood Vessel Damage

 

·    Eat Right and Be Active

Choose a balanced diet by including all the food groups every day.  Eat fewer high-risk foods - those high in sugar or saturated fats.  Don't add salt at the table and avoid foods that are high in sodium.  If you are overweight, talk with your health care provider about how to safely lose weight.

 

·    Do Not Use Tobacco Products

Smoking cigarettes causes health problems that result in hundreds of thousands of deaths each year.  The risk of heart and blood vessel damage is very high when you have diabetes and smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products.  One of the best choices you can make for your health is to never start smoking.  If you smoke, quit.  You may need support to stop.  Ask about smoking cessation programs.

 

·    Control Your Blood Pressure

Get your blood pressure checked at each clinic visit.  You may want to check your blood pressure at home if your blood pressure stays higher than 130/80.  Ask your health care provider how you can get a blood pressure kit.

 

You may need medicine to keep your blood pressure controlled if it is still high after 3 months.  Many medicines are available to treat high blood pressure.  Remember to take your blood pressure medicine as prescribed before your clinic visits.

 

·    Control Your Cholesterol

Get your cholesterol checked at least once a year.  You can improve it. 

̃   Control your blood sugar

̃   Lose weight if you're overweight

̃   Cut down on foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol

̃   Increase your physical activity

 

Work with the health care team to make these changes to lower your cholesterol.  If your cholesterol is still high after 3 months and your LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, is more than 100, you may need to add a medicine.