Cardiology

Diabetic Cardiovascular Diseases

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The term diabetic heart disease (DHD) refers to heart disease that develops in people who have diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which the body's blood glucose (sugar) level is too high. Normally, the body breaks down food into glucose and carries it to cells throughout the body. The cells use a hormone called insulin to turn the glucose into energy. There is a clear-cut relationship between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Coronary heart disease is recognized to be the cause of death for 80% of people with diabetes; however, the NHS states that heart attacks are largely preventable. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality for people with diabetes. Hypertension, abnormal blood lipids and obesity, all risk factors in their own right for cardiovascular disease, occur more frequently in people with diabetes. Several advances in treating heart disease over the past two decades have improved the chances of surviving a heart attack or stroke. However, as the incidence of diabetes steadily increases, so does the number of new cases of heart disease and cardiovascular complications.