Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke

Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke

Adults with diabetes have an increased risk for heart disease or stroke because they are unable to process insulin and blood sugar normally. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in people who have diabetes. People with diabetes are also two to four times more likely to suffer strokes. If you are overweight or you smoke, you may be at an even greater risk for heart disease and stroke.

Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

*Talk to your doctor before you start any exercise program.

Here are some things you can do to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke:

-Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control.

-Exercise 30 minutes or more five days per week* to help lower your blood sugar and manage your weight.

-Eat heart-healthy foods. These foods include oatmeal, whole-grain breads and cereals, fruits, and vegetables.

-Eat fewer foods that are high in saturated fat or cholesterol. Avoid foods with trans fat.

Stop smoking. Ask your doctor for help.

-Ask your doctor if you should take an aspirin once a day to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

what is heart attack?

What Is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to a section of heart muscle becomes blocked. If the flow of blood isn’t restored quickly, the section of heart muscle becomes damaged from lack of oxygen and begins to die.

Heart attack is a leading killer of both men and women in the United States. But fortunately, today there are excellent treatments for heart attack that can save lives and prevent disabilities. Treatment is most effective when started within 1 hour of the beginning of symptoms. If you think you or someone you’re with is having a heart attack, call 9–1–1 right away.
Overview

Heart attacks occur most often as a result of a condition called coronary artery disease (CAD). In CAD, a fatty material called plaque (plak) builds up over many years on the inside walls of the coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to your heart). Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to form on the surface of the plaque. If the clot becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the part of the heart muscle fed by the artery.

During a heart attack, if the blockage in the coronary artery isn’t treated quickly, the heart muscle will begin to die and be replaced by scar tissue. This heart damage may not be obvious, or it may cause severe or long-lasting problems.

Severe problems linked to heart attack can include heart failure and life-threatening arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats). Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood throughout the body. Ventricular fibrillation is a serious arrhythmia that can cause death if not treated quickly.