Diabetes can make you more likely to have problems with your heart. This is called cardiovascular disease. Sometimes, your heart may not work well, and this is called heart failure. It can happen suddenly or over time. About 6.2 million adults in the United States have heart failure.
If you have diabetes, you are 2 to 4 times more likely to get cardiovascular disease.
To help lower your risk you can:
Manage your ABCs:
A: Get a regular A1C test and aim to stay in your blood glucose target range as much as possible.
B: Try to keep your blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg (or the target your doctor sets).
C: Manage your cholesterol levels.
s: Stop smoking or don’t start.
- Lose weight if you need to.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet.
- Drink alcohol only in small amounts, if at all.
- Exercise regularly.
- Talk to your doctor about if you should take aspirin.
- Try to reduce stress and get help for depression.
- Get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night.
What is heart failure?
Heart failure happens when the heart can’t pump enough blood and oxygen to the rest of your body. This can happen because of health problems like narrowed heart vessels, high blood pressure, diabetes, or being overweight or obese. To prevent heart failure, it’s important to take care of these problems.
If you catch heart failure early, it can be treated, and the symptoms can be stopped or slowed down to prevent the condition getting worse.
Symptoms of heart failure include:
- Shortness of breath, especially with activity or when lying down.
- Feeling tired or weak.
- Swelling in your legs, ankles, and feet.
- A fast or uneven heartbeat.
- Trouble exercising.
- A continuing cough or wheeze that brings up mucus.
- Swelling in your belly.
- Rapid weight gain from fluid buildup.
- Feeling sick to your stomach and not wanting to eat.
- Trouble thinking or staying alert.
- Chest pain if heart failure is caused by a heart attack.
If you have heart failure and your symptoms suddenly get worse or you have new symptoms, call your doctor right away. If you gain five pounds (2.3 kilograms) or more within a few days, call your doctor. It may mean your heart failure is getting worse or not responding to treatment.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/ health/conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/diabetes-and-heart-disease
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/ library/features/diabetes-and-heart.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/ diseases-conditions/heart-failure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373142
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