Sunday, March 8, 2009

Act fast to Prevent Heart Disease


Every person affected with Diabetes or even mild forms of Glucose intolerance ( borderline blood sugar levels) is at higher risks for developing Heart diseases like coronary artery disease, Heart attacks and cardiomyopathies.

If other complications of Diabetes like those of eyes, kidneys, nerves etc. may take a long time to occur, complications of heart may happen at much earlier stages.

We Indians are more affected by these because of the inherent sizes of our tummies. Deposistion of fats under the abdomen makes us more insulin resistant which causes a chain of events leading to deposition of cholesterol in large and small arteries ( blood vessels supplying fresh oxygenated blood) to all vital organs including the heart itself. The depositions affect the walls of the arteries and may cause formation of blood clots which may lead to blockages of vessels supplying blood to heart , brain or kidneys leading to disastrous events like Heart Attacks, Stroke.

Complications of Heart start even before Blood Sugar has risen above the critical levels - which would make the Diagnosis of Diabetes. Progression of Diabetes is a constant process, in Type II Diabetes, the prominent cause of Diabetes in India - Insulin becomes less effective as a result pancreas produce more insulin to decrease the same amount of rise in blood sugar, but as the disease progresses the pancreas are not able to produce sufficient insulin to keep blood sugar levels normal and hence the rise in sugar levels either fasting or after meals. But the high levels of insulin increase Cholesterol and triglycerides which become the main culprits in causing heart diseases like angina and heart attacks.

But all this can be prevented by early initiation of exercise and diet programmes which decrease weight, increase insulin sensitivity, and delay progress of diabetes.



for more on Diabetes : Diabetes Total control

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